The Long Road Home
by Ecri
Summary: Slightly AU. Begins towards end of movie and embellishes the brotherly relationship between Robin Hood and Will Scarlett. Chronicles the end of the film and gives it a twist. There's also a new villain to make problems after the demise of the sheriff.
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: I started writing this story about three years ago, but for a lot of reasons I never posted it. Recently reminded of it, I pulled it out, brushed it off, tweaked a bit and decided to start posting. It starts toward the end of the movie but it could be considered AU since there are details that the movie never suggested or examined.

If things look familiar, its not mine. Some dialogue is taken directly from the movie, so youll recognize that.

I hope this finds an audience. If you like it, please let me know. If you dont, please no flames.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 1: Familiar Ground

It was the sight of the Celts that shook their resolve. The blue painted faces, the shrieking in their odd Celtic language, and the frenzied battle lust plain on their faces had even shaken Azeem. That fact alone worried Will Scarlett more than anything else.

Will and the others had no time to think, only to react. Will pulled his dagger from his boot, brandishing the blade at the nearest of Nottinghams soldiers, keeping an ear out for any approaching Celts that might take him from behind. Two Celts chose that moment to attack him and he was hard pressed to dodge their blows.

But dodge he did.

Will fought off one with his dagger and punched the other one with already bloodied knuckles. He then ran to a knot of Nottinghams men who were about to attack Bull and Wulf from behind. Without either of his own men seeing him, he distracted their would-be attackers and drew their attention away.

Will sliced two of them before the third, having lost his own weapon, began to hit, punch and kick. Will punched the man with a solid jab to the chin and turned only to face a man armed with a crossbow. He turned abruptly again only to be faced with another, then another. Unarmed, he could not beat these odds. He raised his hands in surrender, thinking how ironic it was that Robin of Locksley had set in motion the events that would lead to Wills death.

Will was herded to a nearby shallow dip in the forest floor. Several guards had set it up as an impromptu holding area. There were others of the Sherwood residents already being held there. It was from this place that Will first realized Nottinghams men meant to burn Sherwood.

The smoke as the arrows and makeshift balls were set aflame and launched stung Wills eyes, but provided an excuse for the tears that stood there as he watched his home burn. He could feel the heat, hear the crackling of the flames as they greedily devoured all that lay before them. He heard screams in the distance and could imagine the destruction and those still within the forest were enduring. A small part of him wondered if Robin had been right about him. He felt like a coward because his only thought was that he was glad he could only imagine the burning and was not witnessing it first hand. Especially when he heard Fannys cries.

Will blinked twice, then clenched his eyes firmly shut and turned his back on Sherwood clamping his hands over his ears, but such a childish, and cowardly, action did not muffle his memory.


	2. Chapter 2

This is the third time I've tried to fix the uploading issues. Anyone with any pointers about how to keep my format the same after it's posted as it is on my computer, please let me know. I'm hoping this will fix the problem with the quotation marks.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 1A: Familiar Ground

_Smoke and flame poured from the window of the small home he'd shared with his mother, as he struggled to break free from the man who held him. The man laughed as it burned, growing all the louder when his mother's screams echoed from somewhere inside._

"_Mum!" The ten-year-old Will called out, struggling fiercely to break away from the man. When he finally did, landing a kick on the man's shins, he raced toward the burning house. He screamed for his mother, smelling the burning thatch of the roof and choking as the smoke rolled in big black clouds. "Mum!" He called again._

_He turned to plead with the man for help, but the man was gone. A commotion from the nearby village heralded the arrival of a group of men and women with buckets of water. _

_They were going to save his mother!_

_As they approached and threw they're buckets, which seemed pitifully small to the boy, he head several mutter something about stopping the fire before it spread to their homes. He knew the truth. His momentary elation that these people might care for him and his mother evaporated. "My mum's in there!" He called out to the nearest man, but he didn't hear._

_He kept shouting it, figuring someone would hear, but all he heard was a howl from the house. He turned to face it, fear cutting off his own cries. A figure, engulfed in flames came through the door, running madly screaming for help, before finally falling and laying still._

_Will blinked back the tears. "Mum!" He cried out loudly when his voice returned to him, and he tried to run to the still burning corpse. Somehow, instead, he found his way blocked, and his arms being held firmly at his sides. He struggled and looked up to see what obstacle this was and saw a tear-stained face looking down at him. _

_Fanny Little held the boy, whispering words he could not make out and hugging him fiercely. Knowing there was nothing he could do, he clutched at her desperately and sobbed._


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I seem to have fixed the issue with the quotation marks. Let me know if there are any other problems. Please enjoy and please read and review.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 1B: Familiar Ground

Will fell to the ground, winded, as someone flew at him. Startled, he turned to see Wulf in a heap next to him, and a laughing guard standing nearby.

"Can't stand the sounds, boy, you shouldn't have started a war!" The guard laughed again, and Will realized that he was being ridiculed for having turned his back on the fire and for covering his ears to block the sounds of the burning. He glanced at the other prisoners around him. They looked at him in slight confusion, as though not certain why he'd been doing that.

"We all have to hear it, Will," whispered Wulf. "None of us want to."

Will knew it would take too long to explain to Wulf that he'd been hiding from memories…memories that had found him anyway, and that it hadn't been meant in disrespect to those still within Sherwood. Wulf's thoughts, like his eyes, were firmly on the flames.

Fear took firm hold of Will's heart and it wasn't just for himself. Reliving certain memories seemed beyond his strength just now…perhaps Robin had been right to question his courage, but then Robin hadn't had to live the way he'd had. No, his biggest concern now was Wulf. If John or Fanny died in there…or any one of the boy's many siblings…what if someone came stumbling out of the fire as his own mum had come from his burning childhood home? He couldn't permit Wulf to be burdened with that sort of memory. He inserted himself between Wulf and the forest, much as Wulf's own mother had done to stop him running to his dying mother.

Wulf, not understanding, began to fight him, beating and kicking and demanding that Will let him go, but Will only tightened his grip until a guard called out. "Stop making trouble!" Nottingham's man yelled, and to Will's surprise, two of his own—outlaws like him who'd known him most of his life—pulled him off Wulf. They all glared at him in anger and he knew that he'd never be able to explain what he'd meant by what he'd done. He hadn't spoken of that night to anyone since it had happened. Aside from Fanny and perhaps John, no one likely knew about it or remembered it. He knew it was likely that Wulf would resent him for this for some time, and he knew Wulf well enough to know that he wouldn't listen to him. Wulf adored Robin and knew that Will did not. The boy thought of him as a threat to Robin. It almost made him want to laugh. He was powerless against Robin of Locksley. Even when confronted by the man in the only home he'd known, Locksley always came out on top.

Here Will had been trying to do good, to prevent Wulf from suffering a sight similar to the one that still haunted Will almost every night, and yet he was considered to be in the wrong. He accepted the glares and whispers and turned his back on the fire once more. _Let them talk_, he thought.

Moments later, the guards started to herd the small group away from their home and toward Nottingham.

To Be Continued


	4. Chapter 4

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 1C: Familiar Ground

Nottingham's soldiers ushered them to the dungeons and left them there, hands still bound, but otherwise unshackled, shivering in fatigue and cold. Immediately they began to talk, discussing in hushed tones who they thought might have survived and fled through Sherwood, and if any of them had seen Robin.

Will seethed in silence hardly noticing the dank dismal surroundings or the smells that had greeted the admittedly ripe group of outlaws. Fear, blood, urine, sweat, vomit, and other things he did not bother to identify permeated the dark, dank cell. It smelled of hopelessness, and Will's outrage that the others still put their hope in Robin of Locksley fed his own hopelessness.

His clothes smelled of smoke, sweat, and blood. His emotions were in turmoil. He'd briefly dared think that Robin of Locksley might save them all. Might save him. He cursed himself for a fool that he'd even entertained such a notion. Noblemen were capable of little besides cruelty, stupidity, and greed. Locksley was nothing. He was less than nothing. He had brought them all to ruin pretending to be one of them when he was really just another untrustworthy, manipulative noble using them for his own ends.

What Will couldn't quite manage was to explain away the depth to which this realization hurt him.

"He will abandon us," he said, perhaps too loudly, though he'd never meant to say it out loud at all.

"He won't!" Wulf's defiance was understandable. He was a child. He still believed in right and wrong. Black and white. Will envied him that though at the same time he wanted to shake the boy until he understood the truth.

"Robin of Locksley brought this down upon us! He stole the Sheriff's horse, he made himself a nuisance to the man, and now Nottingham will exact his revenge. He will kill us all and then kill who ever is still alive in Sherwood Forest!"

Wulf screamed at this, rage making his voice high and almost inhuman. "That's a lie, Will Scarlett! Robin will protect whoever survived and he will send someone to free us!" 

Will cursed himself for the anger and worry he saw in Wulf's eyes. Wulf had a mother and father and seven brothers and sisters to consider. He was about to say something to reassure the boy that his family was probably fine when Nottingham's men entered. One stood by the door while the other entered going through the now silent and staring outlaws with a nonchalance that piqued Will's ire. In this man's eyes they were no threat. They were rabble. They were nothing. Not worthy of their consideration, they were simply a curiosity.

Inside Will Scarlett something snapped. He recognized it even as it happened. How could he not? It was the same thing that snapped each time he'd done something he'd later regretted.

It had snapped when he'd tried to throw his knife through Robin of Locksley's back.

Even recognizing the pattern did not give him the power to break it. He stared at this man, moving calmly among the dispirited outlaws and he leaped at him, his bound hands swinging to land in the man's stomach causing him to double over. He fell on the man then, his hands going for the other man's eyes. It lasted only seconds. That was all the time it took for the guard at the door to call in reinforcements. He was hauled from the man and held—still struggling and shrieking his rage. He didn't feel the first few blows, but eventually there were too many of them. Booted feet smashed into his stomach and ribcage. Fisted hands pummeled his face and back. Soon he was merely a writhing mass upon the floor twisting this way and that in a vain attempt to protect some part of him from the attack.

They hit him until he stopped struggling.

Once he lay there, still but for the panting, they lowered a chain from the ceiling and strung him up by his ankles to hang upside down. Unable to curl up to protect himself or seek warmth, he hung there, exposed as his shirt fell to obscure his face.

He saw them moving about now to secure the others to walls and other instruments of torture.

The man he'd attacked came over to him and spit in his face. "Scum like you don't deserve to live!"

Will actually laughed. It was a sound so devoid of humor and so permeated with despair and bitterness that the guard took a step back. "You're not the first to say so." He whispered, still laughing though it hurt his stomach, his back and even his head to do so.

The man was shaken and moved away. He eyed the others and nudged his companion. "That one might do."

He pointed at one of the other men. He was old, he was worn out from the fight and the journey, and Will happened to know that he hadn't been in the best of health before that.

Will knew then what this was about. They wanted someone to torture.

"Nah," the guard's companion said. "Nottingham will prefer him!"

To Will's surprise, the man was pointing at Wulf. Will thought of Fanny. She was the one woman who hadn't judged him when he was a boy. She'd given him more than half the meals he'd eaten in his life, often, he suspected, going without herself just to do so.

He couldn't let them.

"Coward!" he called as the familiar something snapped again. Then he sang tauntingly.

"The Sheriff's man from Nottingham

Needed someone to torture

Cruelty gone wild!

He picked a child!

Cowardice was just his nature!"

Will didn't hear the chuckles and chortles from the other prisoners. He sang the verse again and again until the Sheriff's men converged on him taking him roughly from his suspended chains and dragging him away.

To Be Continued


	5. Chapter 5

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Pt. 1D Familiar Ground

The smoke had thinned little in the hours since battle had ended. Thick and acrid, it carried with it the odor of burned wood, soil, hair and meat. As much as the flame had burned flesh, the smoke had burned lungs and throats, making the search difficult, but Azeeem could not give up. He moved from body to body with what remained of Robin's men at his side. They searched for survivors, but he searched only for the Christian. He had vowed to stay with the man until his life debt could be repaid, and he could not accept that he might have failed in fulfilling that vow.

With each discovery of another dead companion, those who remained felt their hopes die a bit more. It was also in noting who was missing entirely…for it did not escape the notice of those left behind that many had been taken prisoner.

Azeem wondered what they would do if they discovered Robin's dead body.

It was then that he saw, in the glow of some light he could not name, appearing to walk through the smoke…came Robin of Locksley.

Azeem smiled. The man could not be killed.

He met Robin, calling out to him. "Christian! You live!"

"I do, though I can tell you it was a near thing."

Azeem nodded then gestured to those behind him. "We have been gathering the dead, but…Robin…you should know, Nottingham's men took many prisoners." 

Robin glanced at John who stood just behind Azeem, Fanny tucked protectively under one arm. "Who?" He asked.

Azeem shrugged. "Some have fled, but we have witnesses who saw Wulf among those taken."

Robin looked at John and Fanny. "We'll get him back."

Fanny nodded and brushed at her tears. The small group, heartened at having found their leader, began the work of clearing the debris and burying the dead.

To Be Continued


	6. Chapter 6

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Pt 1E: Familiar Ground

The dungeon was silent as the guards left a few hours later. They'd hung Will from the rafters once more, but they'd left the others alone. That had been his only goal in goading the men, and, since nothing in his life ever went as he planned, he couldn't help but be surprised that this had worked. Of course, since it had inevitably resulted in him being beaten, perhaps it shouldn't be so surprise that it had.

No one tried to speak to him. No one offered a word of comfort, but then most of them were probably shocked at having witnessed the cruelty of the guards.

Will thought perhaps he dozed, or perhaps just slipped into unconsciousness, but whichever it was, he came back to himself when the Sheriff of Nottingham appeared asking about Robin Hood.

Once again, Will acted without thinking. Even as he offered to kill Robin Hood for the Sheriff, amidst cries of outrage from Wulf and the others, he wondered why he was doing it. He didn't think of himself as a killer, though obviously he'd killed some of the Sheriff's men and perhaps a Celt or two before being captured. Certainly, he'd thrown a knife at Robin, though some part of him insisted he'd intended to hit the tree trunk by Robin's head just to give the man something to think about. He'd never know if that were true, or just some sort of wishful thinking, but in any event, this was different.

Did he intend to kill Robin? Would he be able to do it? If hatred were all it took, he'd have killed Robin when he'd first heard him introduce himself back at the river.

Could he then kill his own brother?

Perhaps he was a coward as Robin had said and he did it only for the slim chance that the Sheriff might release him.

It took a bit of conversation, and enough lashes to make him wonder why he'd done it, but soon he was on his way back to Sherwood Forest. The walk was long and arduous for a man who'd slept little and had been through what Will had suffered. Still he walked on, unsure why he'd made a deal with Nottingham other than that he wished fervently to wipe the smug smile off Robin's face.

With Will Scarlett, however, nothing was ever easy. As much as part of him wanted to prove Robin wasn't the man the others believed him to be, another part, a part he knew now had been growing within him for weeks, wanted desperately for Robin to prove _him_ wrong, for him to step up and be the man Wulf above all others believed him to be.

It was only when he reached the forest, seeing the devastation that the Sheriff's men had left behind that his resolve faltered completely.

He had not imagined even as he'd heard it happening that Sherwood would have been so badly damaged. He saw Robin then, and was surprised when the older man called out to him. "Will? I thought you were taken!"

"I was." Will searched for something else to say, but it was then that John attacked. He rained his fury down on Will punching and dragging him forward…screaming at him and calling him a traitor…insisting that no one escaped the Sheriff's dungeons unless they'd lined their pockets. Will fell to the ground, trying to protect his recent lashes and bruises but somehow his tattered shirt fell away from his torso revealing everything.

He felt the stunned silence descend and could only scowl. He hated appearing weak in front of these people he would like to consider friends. Though he was never sure if they truly liked him, they were all he had…all he'd ever had. Piss and wind was how John had described him, and he knew he had only himself to blame for that. He'd never learned to trust anyone. In return, no one trusted him.

"Let him speak." Robin said softly.

As this was the first thing Will had heard him say, and he certainly hadn't rushed forward to try to pull John Bodily from him, Will wondered if Robin would have let John kill him if his shirt had not slipped open.

"I bring a message from Nottingham." When Robin nodded, he continued, though he wondered why he'd seemed to wait for permission.

"Our men are to be hanged in the square at high noon tomorrow."

"And what about my boy?" Fanny's voice held a tenuous hope that Wulf would be spared. Will hated to shatter that hope. He hung his head, unable to look the woman in the eye and deliver the news. _Perhaps Robin was right_, he thought again. _Perhaps I do lack courage._

"The boy, too." Will confirmed, closing his eyes beneath the sheltering curtain of his hair as she wailed. "Ten men in all. The hangings are part of the celebration for the Sheriff's marriage."

"Marriage? To who?"

Bull spoke the question they were all thinking, but Will looked up at Robin. "The Lady Marian." He didn't know what sort of reaction he expected, but the stunned silence and the hint of fear in the eyes wasn't it.

"He takes a bride of Royal blood." Tuck looked as stunned as Robin, though obviously he was thinking more of national importance than personal.

"Aye," confirmed John, "and with King Richard gone, he'll be after the bloody throne!"

Will felt a strange buzz in his head and he wondered what it could be. His own anxiety had grown after John's attack, but it was not brought on by it. No, he'd learned at a young age how to take a beating. The anxiety and the buzz seemed to be telling him something. Like a whisper he could hear but not decipher, it made him once more question his motives in coming here. Did he want to kill Robin of Locksley? The buzz grew louder and he felt a bit faint. Did he want to follow Robin of Locksley? The very thought stoked the familiar rage deep inside him and he glared at Robin.

"You were to use this news to get close to me and then kill me, right Will?" Robin asked the question, though he obviously knew the answer. "What are your intentions?"

Will smirked. Trust Robin of Locksley to make a life and death situation sound like a two farmers discussing the price of seed.

"Well, that depends on you, Locksley," he said as he drew himself up slowly to his feet. He favored one side, and still held one arm protectively across his stomach. , "I've never trusted you, that's no secret. But what I want to know is are you going to finish what you've started? I want to know if he's going to turn and run like the spoiled little rich boy I always took him for."

Will stared into the man's eyes, not daring to admit to himself that some small part of him hoped that, against all odds, Robin of Locksley would indeed be more than Will took him for. The longer he stared at the 'Lord of the Manor' the more he realized how fervently he wished for Robin to be what Wulf took him for: an honest man, not a nobleman, but a Noble Man. A savior.

_Say it,_ Will thought. _Either admit you're using us and you're in over your head, or make us believe that you can still make a difference…that you can still make it right._

He watched Robin. The others didn't exist for him any longer. He held his breath waiting for the man's answer.

Instead of answering, Robin walked closer to him asking his own question. He shook his head, his eyes showed plainly his own inability to understand the man who stood before him. "Did I wrong you in another life, Will Scarlett?" His voice was almost a whisper.

"Where does this intolerable hatred for me come from?"

Will turned away. He didn't want to answer. He wanted to run, but something stopped him. He turned to face Robin feeling the tears standing in his eyes, but he refused to shed them. How he knew this was the time to face this man with the truth as his only weapon, he couldn't say, but the buzzing was at its loudest, and he took it for some sort of instinct.

At best, he expected to be called a liar. At worst, well, nobles had been known to kill offspring and relatives that they found as an embarrassment. He was a bastard. He had no legitimate claim to Locksley, their father, or the Locksley land. Taking a breath and promising himself that this was for the best, even if Robin were to draw his sword and slit his throat for the things he was about to say, he told Robin his secret.

"From knowing that our…our father loved you more than me!"

Silence stole across Sherwood Forest. Even the wildlife seemed silent and still if any remained unburned. Will continued. "I'm your brother, Robin of Locksley. I am the son of the woman who replaced your dead mother for a time…" Robin grabbed at Will, shaking him, but pulled back in the next instant as though unwilling to harm the younger man. "It was your anger that drove them apart…"

"It's a lie!" Robin shouted over Will.

"It's not a lie!" Will's insistence silenced Robin. "You ruined my life!"

Silence again. Will Scarlett was reluctant to continue, but he gathered his resolve. "I have more reason to _hate_ you than anyone. But I found myself daring to believe in you. What I want to know, brother, is will you stay with us and finish what you've started?"

Emotionally spent, Will Scarlett looked up at his brother waiting, hoping against hope, that Wulf was right about this man, that his confession had not been a mistake, and that somehow things might yet be put right. Robin just stared at him, and Will found the moment stretching on indefinitely. He wanted to scream at Robin to say something even if it were more accusations of lying and perhaps throwing him out of Sherwood. That would be preferable to this endless silence.

Robin took a half step closer to Will. "I have a brother?" He looked across to Azeem, whose face betrayed nothing but concern for Robin.

"I have a brother!" He repeated the words louder and with more certainty as he pulled Will into an embrace and then pulled back slightly, holding Will's face in his hands. "I'll make my stand with you, side by side. Until the end."

Will looked unsure for a moment, but seemed as though he wanted nothing more than to believe. Whether from relief, fatigue, hunger, thirst, or the result of his injuries, Will's body chose that moment to rebel. Will swayed for a moment bringing a hand to his head. He took a step or two sideways trying to regain his balance, though it was not there to be regained.

To Be Continued


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: I've been having formatting issues, but I think I've corrected them all. I may try something later with later chapters to avoid having to post such short chapters. I hope the short posts don't detract from the story.

Please, please read and review so I know someone is reading. One word reviews are fine if that's all you have time to do. Thanks.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 2: Best Laid Plans

Robin stared in horror as Will's eyes rolled back in his head and he began to fall. Only Robin's quick reach kept him upright.

Azeem was by his side instantly, as were John and Fanny.

"Lay him down, Christian," Azeem instructed as he helped Robin do just that. The Moor called for various things, stripping the young man's shirt from him as he did.

The extent of Will Scarlett's injuries, merely hinted at by the brief glimpse they'd had through the tattered shirt, were revealed now to his stunned friends.

Azeem looked at Robin. "And you English call us barbarians!"

Will's back and chest were a criss cross of bloody stripes so intricate it seemed his skin had been shredded. Where he was not bloodied, he was bruised; arms, legs, neck, upper back…all purple, black and blue and mingled with the blood and the starkly, startlingly pale skin.

Robin stared wide-eyed at the limp and battered body of his brother. His mind could not grasp this reality. He had dreamed of returning home after the madness of the Crusades to the sanity of his ancestral home, yet it seemed all of England had gone mad in his absence.

No madness could be worse than this—to discover he had a brother only to lose him.

Azeem looked Robin in the eye, but the look was enough. He did not waste words.

Robin gave an almost imperceptible nod. He swallowed hard twice before finally finding his voice. "Do what you can."

Azeem and Fanny cleaned Will's wounds, the tattered clothes and unconscious state of the youth combining with the tearstains on his face made him look like a child far younger than his years.

Robin realized that this perception was also likely aided by the fact that this was the first time he'd ever seen Will not held rigid by hatred and agitation. He tried to listen to Azeem and Fanny, but the words were a droning murmur in his ears drowned out by the ones repeated in his head. One maddening, shocking refrain; I have a brother!

He stared at the young man—Will Scarlett. His brother. So much made sense now. Will's hatred, his angry stares, and the times he seemed determined to rally everyone against Robin. He knew there were many who, if in his position, would not believe Will, or, if they did believe him, would claim publicly not to believe. He wasn't sure why he had been so ready to take his words as truth, but when Will had stood before him, unshed tears standing in his eyes, Robin had seen everything.

Behind the tears, Robin had seen the truth; a war between hope and the expectation of disappointment struck Robin a blow more solid than any physical hurt he'd ever received. Realizing what he had before him, he was gripped by the sudden conviction that he would hold onto this last, this youngest Locksley with every ounce of his strength.

He thought back to the angry, petulant boy he had been when he was 12 years old. Hurting from his mother's death, he'd wallowed in the pain, not considering that his father was hurting as well. Robin had pushed his father away and then reacted with anger when he'd turned to a stranger for solace. He'd said horrible things—words like betrayal, unfeeling, despicable—recalling each now was like a knife through his heart and he berated himself for inflicting such pain on his grieving father.

Will Scarlett moaned in pain, tossing his head and moving weakly to escape Fanny and Azeem.

A brother.

He had a brother.

A brother whose life he had ruined. Could his father have known about the boy? Was his love for Robin so much greater than for Will that he could have known of his birth and yet turned his back on the boy merely because Robin could not accept him having a relationship with another woman after his mother had died? He would not have allowed a son of his to grow up as Will had, would he? Then he realized he had no real idea how Will had grown up. He wondered if it were even possible that he could set things right.

To Be Continued


	8. Chapter 8

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 2: Best Laid Plans

Will struggled to sit, his eyes wide, his hands pushing away the hands that seemed to him intent on causing pain. "Hush now, Will Scarlett," a familiar voice said firmly, but not unkindly.

Will looked at her, relaxing as he realized Fanny and Azeem were treating his wounds. He struggled again when he realized he must have passed out. Fainted. Embarrassment made him unreasonable and he hoped only that he hadn't made too much a fool of himself.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." He repeated again and again, hoping they would leave him to tend himself as they had when Robin had shot an arrow through his hand.

To his surprise, it was Robin who knelt beside him now, Azeem making room for him. "Will, you are not fine. Let them do this." To Will's surprise Robin's eyes clouded with tears. "I will make this up to you if you let me, _Brother_."

Will tried to find a witty insult, tried to dredge up the hatred he'd carried and nurtured for so long, hatred that he'd felt burning in his heart just moments ago when he'd revealed himself to Robin.

He found nothing.

Truth was, he was tired. The rage and bitterness had worn him out…or perhaps it was the beating he'd received from Nottingham's guards. Whatever the cause looking at the earnestness in Robin's eyes—this man he had tried simultaneously to hate and to believe in—he found he felt only hollow. He knew Robin was waiting for some reply from him, a word that it was not too late to begin again—to be brothers.

He closed his eyes for a moment against the tears he was still too embarrassed to shed. When he opened them, only one escaped. His eyes were locked on Robin's as he tried desperately to read the older man's sincerity.

Taking a chance, almost sure of rebuff, he reached a hand out to his brother, horrified when he could not keep it from trembling. He did not want to appear weak in front of Robin.

Weakness did not appear to bother Robin. That one, trembling and slightly bloodied hand was all the sign he needed. He moved closer, engulfing Will once more in a fierce, protective hug so full of love, hope, fear, forgiveness and a desire to be forgiven that Will could no longer keep reign on his own emotions. He tried. He held in the first sob, but the second and third shook his shoulders to the point that—just for a moment—the others thought he was having convulsions.

Robin tightened his embrace and whispered in Will's ear. "We are BROTHERS. If I had but known about you I would have loved you. We are brothers. I _will _make this up to you, Will Scarlett."

Will clutched in quiet desperation at Robin's shirt not caring that the lashes on his back and torso ached with the contact and bled afresh. He released a lifetime of sorrow, pain, persecution and loneliness and did not stop until his exhausted body left him trembling and heaving.

Robin rubbed gently at his back, but stopped when he realized he was doing more harm than good. "Will, let them tend your wounds now."

Will nodded, and let Robin push him slightly away and toward Azeem and Fanny. Stoically, he bore the pain of their attentions with no complaint.

To Be Continued


	9. Chapter 9

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 2B: Best Laid Plans

Azeem knew the water and the poultices he applied to the torn skin of the child—for that's what this youth the others seemed to consider a man was to him—had to hurt. He pondered all they had just learned. Scarlett's secret had been a big one, and he was surprised at how well the Christian had taken it, how quickly he had accepted it. Of course, it was the only thing that made sense.

_Both men must see in each other something they need or they would not be so quick to embrace, _he thought. That the hatred could turn so quickly to something else was surprising, but then these were emotional times. With battle to be joined so soon, was it really any wonder that things had come to a head so suddenly for the two? They were still a long way off from creating a brotherly bond. They did not yet know each other. They merely knew _of _each other. They would need to put aside animosity and learned behavior in order to become true brothers.

What they had now was tenuous, but they were not likely to have time to forge anything more solid before they raided Nottingham. Assuming the Christian could tear himself from his new found brother's side long enough to devise a plan.

Azeem suppressed a smile. Allah had a plan. That was the only thing of which he was certain. There was a reason he had been sent so far from home, and perhaps it was in order to help these two.

He finished cleaning and binding the wounds and turned to Fanny. "He needs food, water…"

She was already spooning a hearty stew into a bowl as John prepared a cup of water for the injured boy. Azeem could see the man was already nursing some guilt over the way he'd greeted Will Scarlett upon his return to the camp. Likely, it would take time before the man forgave himself, though he was certain that Will hadn't thought twice about it. That boy was accustomed to mistreatment if Azeem were any judge. If Azeem read him right, Will Scarlett expected mistreatment at every turn and only its absence was ever met with any sort of astonishment. He shook his head slightly as he considered how unlikely it was that those expectations ever fell short of being met. Azeem had been in this wet and bleak country for only a short time, but already he knew that hardships were as common or more so here than in his homeland. _Try to tell the English that_, he thought, _and they will send me home before I have fulfilled Allah's plans._

While Will ate under Fanny's watchful eye, Azeem pulled Robin aside. "We must talk, Christian."

Robin caught the serious tone, and though Azeem could see he had no desire to be separated from his brother so soon, he nodded in agreement. "What is it?" He spoke to Azeem, but he was trying to keep one eye on Will.

Azeem noticed this and dragged the man a few feet away turning him around so that his back was to the younger man.

Robin almost laughed, but caught Azeem's expression. "What is it?" he asked again, concern plain on his face.

"There is much to consider. Do not let your fears for him cloud your judgment. We have a raid to plan. We have to take Nottingham if we are to save those men, the boy and your Lady." Azeem's eyes searched Robin's face for some sign that he understood the complications. "You must speak to him. You have questions. He has questions. Resolve what can be resolved before beginning our preparations. You must both be focused on our goal and not on each other."

Robin smiled. "I understand your concern, Azeem. Believe me, I know what's at stake. Wulf and the others…we cannot fail to save them…"

"And Marion?" Azeem asked.

"I won't let Nottingham have her."

"Nor would I expect you to, Christian. Just remember it may not be possible to save everyone."

Robin shook his head. "We will because we must."

Azeem watched the man join Will Scarlett and the others. He prayed to Allah that the man truly did understand that sometimes even with the best of intentions, Allah's plans included things you could not possibly foresee.

To Be Continued


	10. Chapter 10

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 2C: Best Laid Plans

Will drank the cup that John offered him and took the bowl of stew, though he was sure he would be unable to eat. He had never had the best of appetites, and truthfully he had nurtured this lack since he was never truly certain when his next meal would be. He had believed it best to encourage his body to become accustomed to pushing forward with little or no food rather than gorge himself when the opportunity arose and then deal with the ache of an empty stomach.

He moved the stew about in its bowl and tried a small spoonful. It was truly delicious as all Fanny's meals were, but his stomach rebelled. He reached once more for the water hoping that would settle him.

Fanny nodded in sympathy, guessing what had happened. "Eat what you can, Will, but don't force it down. You've had an ordeal, and there's no telling when you'll feel better.

Will smiled, relieved that he wouldn't have to pretend to enjoy the food as he replaced the cup on the ground beside the bowl. "Thanks, Fanny." His eyes burned with fatigue, but he would not close them. He hadn't been surprised when John had attacked him, not really, but it did make it a bit difficult not to flinch when the large man approached. Most of the others, both here and in Nottingham's prison, saw him as a troublemaker at best or a traitor at worst.

He sighed rubbing his hands up and down his arms to ward off the first of the night's chill. The real reason he wasn't comfortable here was Locksley. The telling of his secret to the man…to his brother…had left him feeling vulnerable, and he had done it not just in front of Locksley, but also in front of everyone. Locksley, Azeem, John, Fanny, Friar Tuck, and Bull all knew the one thing he'd never expected to reveal to anyone. Too often once noblemen found out about bastard children, the children were killed to avoid scandal. It was his mother's biggest worry and why she'd never allowed him to speak of it.

She'd refused any plan he might devise to tell his father about him…about what his rejection had done to them. She insisted that many would consider Locksley within his rights to kill Will or to deny ever having known his mother.

He hadn't intended to reveal the secret to anyone. When Locksley had asked, Will had turned away intending to storm off, but then…something had stopped him. The desire to know why their father hated his mother…and by extension himself; the desire to know why Robin had hated his mother enough to demand their father send her away…the desire to put down the burden he'd carried all these years…

Whatever his reason, he'd turned around and revealed it all. Even now, he could not say how the others had taken the news. He had seen only Robin of Locksley. He had not seen the forest or smelled the still smoldering fires, or heard any words any of the others might have uttered.

But they knew. He was exposed. Vulnerable. Naked.

He did not like how this felt, and he wanted to disappear, but Locksley had vowed to stand with him, so he had to make a stand. But a small part of him could not believe that Robin had accepted him. Will had heard all his life that he was worthless, a bastard, a peasant, a scrawny runt, an annoyance…the insults had come from every quarter. Even, on occasion, from his mother, who had not been entirely herself at the time of her death, and for whom life had been less than kind. Friendless and alone, she turned on him from time to time, though she always regretted it later.

Why would Locksley bother with him? Even if he felt some sort of familial obligation, once Robin really got to know him, he would know how worthless Will was. Robin would be disappointed that this last link to his dead father was not worthy to bear his name. Will was certain he would be abandoned once more.

His eyes continued to ache, so Will placed a hand across them. He could not recall ever feeling so tired in all his life. He might have dozed or at the very least lost any concept of his surroundings, for he was startled from his position when Robin sat beside him. He blinked rapidly noting that Fanny and John were gone.

"Robin…" Will began unsure why they were alone together.

"Will, I wanted to check to see if you're all right. You should lie down. Rest. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Robin spoke haltingly and Will wondered if it were the words he found difficult to speak or just the fact that they were being spoken to him.

"Don't worry, Robin. I will not hold you to your vow."

Robin's confusion was plain. "You may not, but I shall. Will…you're my brother. I can't begin to tell you what that means to me."

"But…I'm a…b-bastard." He cursed himself for stuttering, and swallowed once hoping to keep it from happening again. "Noblemen do not acknowledge their mistakes."

Robin shook his head. "Will, our father never would have considered you a mistake. As for me, you need to know that I will stand by you…now, through these times…and for the rest of your life."

Will shook his head in disbelief, but the look in Robin's eyes stopped him. He smiled. "You mean that." He could not keep the astonishment from his voice.

Robin returned the smile. "Yes, I do. Now get some rest, Will."

Will settled himself down in the blanket Robin provided and for the first time in a long time, he slept peacefully.

To Be Continued


	11. Chapter 11

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 2: Best Laid Plans

Marian watched the early morning preparations, appalled at the sight of the gallows, the ropes, but more so by the gathering crowds. That there were so many who would watch the event with eager anticipation as though it were entertainment shocked her.

The nobles, each dressed in enough riches to feed most of the peasants of Nottingham for a year were nearly salivating at the prospect of having Robin Hood's men in their grasps. The peasants were no less excited. Some, she was sure, must have supported Robin and his men, some should feel they owe some debt of gratitude if nothing else, but it was a dangerous thing to support the Prince of Thieves while standing in Nottingham's court.

As she stared out the window at the final preparations, she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. There was a coldness that permeated these walls. Not the usual cold of any castle—even her own home was plagued by drafts and dampness.

The cold here in the Sheriff's castle was different. It chilled more than flesh. It chilled bone and blood and soul. It filled her with fear and dread almost as much as being in Nottingham's presence did.

She turned from the window. She had to be ready when Nottingham called for her. He would brook no excuse for her not attending the hangings. She wished she'd been successful the day before. Soon after Robin's men had been led to the dungeons, she'd tried to be allowed to see them, to learn what news they had of Robin's death…if he were indeed dead. She had slipped away from her rooms and down the dark, cold stone halls. They'd smelled of candle wax and fear…and of herbs she could not identify.

She'd strode with purpose toward the dungeons trying to make it seem as though she had every right to be there. She'd used her position and her haughtiest tones to try to gain entry to the rooms where the men were being held.

She had almost convinced one of the guards to allow her to pass when she spied something through the half open door that made her gasp. Several of the guards were gathered around one of the prisoners. She could not tell at first who it was, but she heard him taunting them when they began to lose interest. Once, when he was slow about it, she was certain they were going to try to torment the young boy. The taunt's started afresh and she was able to glimpse the young man who'd asked her to dance the night Azeem had delivered Fanny Little's baby. Will Scarlett! Her mind supplied the name as she wondered what he was doing taunting armed soldiers when he was at their mercy.

The soldiers had closed the door denying her entry and she had returned to her rooms to a sleepless night full of worry.

Now, as the hour drew near for the event, her anxiety grew until it almost overwhelmed her. There was only one thing that calmed her and offered any solace to her breaking heart. As she finished dressing, her gaze fell on Robin's medallion. Looking at it filled her with a calm she had not felt since her cousin, King Richard, had departed England.

Holding it turned the calm to peace.

Making a decision born of defiance of Nottingham as much as a hope to hold onto that peace, she placed it around her neck. The weight of it was comforting. Wearing it she could almost imagine it was Robin who waited for her.

_Almost_, she thought, _was better than not at all._

Marian stood with the Sheriff wondering how many people among the cheering masses below wished the tyrant dead. She stared stoically above the heads of the crowd. She could not bring herself to look at the gallows yet, but she had promised herself she would watch the men hang. In tribute to them, for what they and Robin had tried to do and for Robin himself who might be dead at worst or in no condition to watch at best, she would watch them draw their last breaths. She would be sure that any who saw her would understand that she heartily disapproved of these proceedings.

The commotion below surprised her. She heard shouts of traitor and a small knot of people seemed to fold in on top of someone.

The Sheriff had very little patience to begin with, and what little he had was worn thin by now. His voice cut through the cacophony and his order that whoever was at the heart of the melee be brought forward was swiftly obeyed.

Marian was shocked to see Will Scarlett and was hard pressed to hide it. The guards held him firmly, one with a hand in his hair holding his head up so the sheriff could clearly see him.

"Oh, yes. The turncoat."

Marian's head spun, her thoughts were a maelstrom. Traitor? Turncoat? When last she'd seenhim, Scarlett had been in the dungeons being beaten by the guards. What had happened in the last eighteen hours? She shook herself from her thought, forcing herself to listen to the exchange between Will and Nottingham.

"He was already dead." Scarlett was saying.

_Wait_, Marian thought. _Had he just said that Robin was dead?_ Her heart sank. Her world tilted slightly and one hand flew to Robin's medallion.

"Are you sure? You saw Hood's body?" Everything the man said sounded derisive.

Marian held onto the hope that there had been some mistake.

"No."

Marian's heart leaped at the possibilities.

"I saw a…a gr…grave."

She had never heard Will Scarlett stutter before, but she could not begin to decipher if this could mean he was lying or not. _He can't be dead,_ Marian thought, as the guards showed the Sheriff a sword they'd taken from Scarlett. _He can't be_.

"String him up with the others."

She'd barely heard the Sheriff give the order, but as soon as it was given, Will Scarlett was hoisted bodily above the heads of those present, soldier and peasant alike, and passed over their heads hand to hand in a wave of inhumanity until he reached the gallows.

She saw moments before the hangman did that there was no rope.

"My Lord," Scarlett bellowed, unable to hide his own fear at the swiftness with which things had escalated. "I'm afraid there's no more room. I must respectfully decline!"

Marian had to wonder if he actually thought it would be that easy to change the Sheriff's mind, but the hangman, no doubt eager to please the Sheriff, hastily tied Will to a barrel adding decapitation to the day's itinerary.

She felt her stomach twist as Nottingham ordered the hangman to get started. She clung once more with renewed fervor to Robin's medallion with both hands offering up fervent prayers, as the youngest outlaw, John and Fanny Little's boy, was the first to hang.

She heard cries of "My boy!" and frantically searched the crowd below for any sight of John Little. It wasn't until the boy fell from the beam and she followed the path of the arrow with her eyes that she saw him.

"Locksley." Nottingham whispered.

"ROBIIIIIIN!" Marian screamed his name with every bit of breath she had in her body, feeling spent yet exhilarated as she did.

Chaos followed. Explosions, smoke, flame and the sounds of clashing steel filled the courtyard and she was hard-pressed to account for all of the flying arrows.

She tried to keep an eye on Robin. He appeared and disappeared as the smoke billowed and the people scattered.

Then she saw him fire a flaming arrow. Following it with her eyes, she saw the hangman, axe held above his head at the top of an arc that would have ended with it buried in Scarlett's neck. The arrow struck home and the man fell as John Little destroyed the gallows and the doomed men were able to stand.

Marian felt the sheriff's hands upon her, and she bellowed Robin's name once more as she was dragged indoors.

To Be Continued


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: I believe I've fixed a formatting issue and I tried with this chapter to post the full chapter as I'd intended it rather than two shorter chapters in place of one. Didn't work properly, so I have reposted this chapter in two pieces. Thank you for your patience. Please don't forget to review. I'm as needy as any other writer when it comes to hearing from my readers.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 3: Misconceptions

When Will heard the Sheriff order that he be strung up, he tasted fear. Not only for himself—though, to be honest, that was a large part of it—but also for those he was trying to help. He was supposed to be helping to free Wulf and the others, and instead, he was making things more difficult for Robin. Now, someone would have to do what he was meant to do, and something told him that would be Robin. He struggled in vain as he was passed above the heads of the spectators, screaming at them to let him go. They were not above hurting, pinching When he reached the platform, it took him a precious moment to regain his balance, and in that moment he realized there was not enough rope to accommodate him.

"My Lord," Scarlett called to the Sheriff, relief forcing him to clutch at one of the support beams. "I'm afraid there's no more room. I must respectfully decline!"

But the hangman was too clever or else too afraid of the Sheriff, and Will found himself being shoved face first into one of Azeem's barrels. HE fought to push the man away, but his struggles were awkward because of his kneeling position. In no time at all he was secured and unable to break the ropes that held him. His heart pounded in his chest as his eyes sought Robin's. He willed his brother to understand the apology he felt in his heart. He'd screwed up, and it was his fault. How many of them would die now because of him? He could not help but feel he should have concealed himself somehow from Wulf's eyes. He should have guessed that Wulf would attack him, believing him to be a traitor.

He heard the thud behind him, realized that someone had fallen. He couldn't see much of what was happening, but he tried to listen to everything to piece it all together. He was startled from this endeavor when he felt the kiss of the cold axe blade on his neck. The Executioner was going to take his head. He clenched his eyes shut…but the sound he heard was not the sound of the axe hitting bone, but of an arrow hitting its target and of flames crackling. He opened his eyes, surprised to see Robin taking to the platform and releasing his bonds.

In the fighting that ensued, Will wasn't entirely sure that Robin knew what he was doing, and when Azeem climbed up on the catapult next to him, he was convinced the two shared a madness they'd acquired during the Crusades. Once they'd cleared the wall, his surprise was short lived however. He turned from the catapult to see the battle raging. Outlaws, bystanders, and Nottingham's soldiers fought well, but the bystanders had little stomach for it, and the outlaws were badly outnumbered.

Will picked up a fallen sword just in time to deflect a blow and disarm the soldier who'd come after him. So focused was he on the man in front of him, he never noticed the ones coming up behind. Two men grabbed him from behind trying to force him to release his sword. He swung wildly and managed to stab one deep in the arm. Turning on the one remaining, he realized it was the one who'd given him the worst of his beating the night before in the dungeons. The bloodthirsty grin on the man's face stopped him for a moment. "I'm goin' to enjoy this!"

He was in a frenzy vowing to himself that he'd let the man kill him before he'd be anyone's prisoner again. As he swung, he buried the sword hilt deep through the man's torso, pinning him to the ground. He stared down half in satisfaction and half in shock at what he'd done. When he felt someone approaching from behind, he was just skittish enough after this encounter to swing around slipping his dagger from his belt and aiming to do the most damage.

The familiar yelp surprised him, and he froze, bloody dagger still in his hand and his eyes wide at the sight of Much the Miller holding a hand to a bleeding gash in his forearm a look of betrayal and disgust on his face.

"Much! I'm…s…"

"Save it!" Much cried, and Will was quick to realize he was fast being surrounded by the Sherwood Outlaws, the soldiers having fled or been dispatched or captured.

"But…" Will began, but he wasn't allowed to continue.

Cal and Byram, two of the strongest of the men who'd lived in Sherwood had come to Much's aid. "You're a traitor, Will Scarlett! And you're going to regret it!"

They each grabbed Will, who struggled madly kicking, but eventually Cal, the bigger of the two, forced Will down to his knees. With a firm grasp around his neck with one massive hand, he leaned in close to Will and whispered. "I'll give your 'ead to Robin 'ood!"

Cal drew back his fist and punched with as much force as he could, which was considerable, landing the blow to the side of Will's head. It felt like a tree limb smacking into him, and Will's vision doubled momentarily.

Sounds shifted and it seemed as though he were hearing things under water. He clawed at Cal's other hand, which held tight to Will's right arm, immobilizing it while he continued to rain blows down upon him with his own right. Struggle as he did, he couldn't break free, and he feared he was losing consciousness.

Will heard John and Fanny arrive and knew intellectually that they were trying to convince Cal and Byram to release him, but deep inside he didn't think they'd mind if Call succeeded in removing his head from his soldiers. He'd never made a real friend in his life, so here, at its end, he wasn't counting on anyone stepping forward to rescue him.


	13. Chapter 13

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 3A: Misconceptions

Most of what followed. Marian tried desperately to forget. The Sheriff, the witch, the bishop…even the implications of the odd altar and Nottingham's attempt to take her became blurred and unreal.

All she truly recalled with clarity was Robin stabbing the Sheriff through the heart with the very dagger Nottingham had given her and which she'd given to Robin, and the macabre dance he did as he plucked it from his chest and died.

Azeem had somehow killed the witch with the most brilliant and amazing toss of a blade that she'd ever seen, and there was little else to do beyond finding the rest of Robin's men.

It was upon their arrival at the courtyard that the trio realized all was not well.

The spectators had mostly scattered, and what few remained watched as Robin's men, disagreeing about something, fought among themselves. It wasn't until Robin forced his way to the center of the commotion with Azeem and Marian by his side that they were able to see what was going on.

Those men who had nearly hung were angrily attacking Will Scarlett. Again words like traitor and turncoat were tossed about.

John and Fanny Little, Bull and Tuck were all trying to stop the others from hurting the young man who struggled furiously against those who held him. John had a hold of two of the men, but didn't seem to know what to do with them. To take more out of the fray would require him to release the ones he had or to knock them out…neither of which were truly an option. Tuck was pulling ineffectually at the arm of one man who had his hands around Will's throat, choking off his air. Fanny shouted repeatedly and kept charge of Wulf keeping her son from coming in on either side, while Bull was trying to push through the throng to help.

Will's struggled half rising from his knees amidst kicks and blows and slaps as he tried to scramble out of their grip, unable to break free.

Robin stepped forward, fury like none had seen before plain on his face.

"What's going on?" He turned to John and Tuck for answers.

John, red faced and trembling with anger, explained loudly. "They're after Will, there!"

One of the previously doomed to hang men answered back. "He made a deal with Nottingham to kill Robin Hood! And he nearly took Much's arm off!" 

"Much is fine!" John bellowed as he pointed at Will. "_He_ brought the message to us that you were to hang, you bloody fools! How were we to know to rescue you if we didn't known you were being killed?"

The others stopped a moment staring from John to Robin.

Robin dropped to his knees by Will's side. John's words had caused the man with a hold on Will's throat to release him, and Will slumped over, falling again to his knees, one hand on his tortured throat as he struggled to take a breath and the other hand on the ground, his trembling arm all that supported him and kept him from collapsing completely. Robin whispered a word or two to the younger man, who merely nodded and shifted uneasily, wary eyes on his attackers, and a white-knuckled grip on Robin's shirt.

Marian had the distinct impression that she was missing some piece of the puzzle, and that thought was not dispelled when Friar Tuck began preaching loudly about forgiveness and things not always being what they seem. He was cut off in mid-word when Robin began to speak.

"There is little worse than brothers-in-arms turning on each other. I saw it a time or two during the Crusades, and it was always ugly." He made to stand, but Will Scarlett seemed reluctant to allow it, struggling to maintain his hold on Robin's arm and keep the older man by his side as though all his anger and hatred for the man had been spent and he had no strength left to face the animosity of those with whom he'd shared all of Sherwood Forest.

"It will be all right, Will." Robin whispered the words softly, but they seemed to convince Will. Slowly, he released his grip on Robin's shirt, and shifted slightly to allow him room to stand.

Marian saw fear and uncertainty in his eyes as they followed Robin's every move. She didn't wonder at that since Will's attackers still stood nearby and one or two were still close enough to do some harm.

"The Sheriff counted on being able to turn us against each other." Robin's eyes fell on each of Will's accusers in turn. "He was certain that we would and he believed, rightly so, that that was all he needed to emerge victorious. So ask yourself this. Now that we are so close to victory, would you permit Nottingham to steal that victory from us now that he is dead?"

There was some murmuring as this last bit of news was imparted, but Robin wasn't finished. Marian held her breath curious beyond words as to what Robin planned to say next. Robin stood in front of the last two, who still glared angrily at Will Scarlett. He looked them in the eye.

"Are you planning on killing him? Do you intend to take the life of a man who has lived with you, eaten with you, gotten drunk with you? Will Scarlett has celebrated your victories with you and mourned your losses. Are you prepared to take his life?"

He held a sword up for them, hilt first as if offering it to them.

Will Scarlett gasped in shock and struggled weakly half getting to his feet and scrambling slightly backwards, eyes scanning the area for a break that was not there so he could bolt and run. His eyes filled with tears of frustration, fear, and Marian could not have said what else, and he whispered "Robin?" in such a small, scared voice, that Marian took a step forward as though to insert herself between Will and the blade. Azeem held her back.

Robin wasn't through. "For I tell you now, if you dare to harm my brother, I will kill you myself."

Stunned silence magnified the power of those words.

"Brother?" One man asked, backing away from Will, his hands held up in surrender.

Robin nodded, sheathing his sword and kneeling once more by Will's side.

He helped his brother to rise. "Yes. Will Scarlett is my father's son. We are brothers. He used the Sheriff's offer to get away and tell us what he could so we could find a way to save you. Would you repay him by killing him?" 

"But…he hated you." Wulf whispered.

Robin nodded and looked Wulf in the eye. "You have several brothers, Wulf. Do you not hate one or two of them now and then?"

Wulf hung his head for a moment then walked over to Will. "I'm sorry, Will."

Will seemed to want to speak, but though his mouth moved and he swallowed once or twice, he wasn't able to form any words.

Robin held firmly to his brother, and Marian noticed worry in the depths of his eyes.

She stepped forward. "We should remove ourselves from Nottingham's castle. Come to my home. You will be safe enough there until you can make your plans."

Robin smiled at her, and despite the circumstance she was almost lost in it. "She's right. Gather what you can. We can make for Lady Marian's home and be there by nightfall."

He turned to face his brother. "I will get a wagon, Will. You should probably ride."

Will started to shake his head, but thought better of it. "No," his voice was hoarse. "I'm fine."

"Will…" Robin began, but he got no further. Will let out a small sound and fell once more to his knees.

"Will!" Robin yelled, and Marian raced to his side. She looked at the young man, shocked at how pale he was. A fine sheen of sweat covered his face, and his hands were cold and trembling.

"I'm not sure we should move him." Marian confided.

Robin turned to Azeem. "Can you help him?"

Azeem seemed to consider the words before reaching a hand out towards the semi-conscious man. "It is his head, Christian. He's had several blows. Get that wagon ready and I will ride with him and see if I can help him."

Robin almost balked at the idea of leaving his brother's side. Marian saw the turmoil plainly on his face, but he was no longer the spoiled child who'd burned her hair. He had learned much while he was away and these people were his responsibility. He stood and began to issue orders, getting minor wounds seen to, organizing horses and carts as well as weapons and guards.

While he did so, Azeem and Fanny hovered over Will. Marian and Tuck brought water as Fanny recounted what she had seen and describing the blows Cal had given Will. Azeem carefully removed Will's shirt, revealing the dressings and bandages he and Fanny had used just the previous night. The wounds had re-opened and blood had seeped through.

Marian shuddered at the sight. "I wish I'd been able to stop it."

"Stop what?" Fanny asked as she wiped at one nasty gash with a damp cloth.

"The soldiers would not listen to me. I wanted to see them…the prisoners. I wanted to talk to them. I was foolishly…" she rolled her eyes in exasperation with herself. "I was selfishly hoping for some word of Robin, and instead I saw them beating him. For all his taunts, I knew he was scared."

"Taunts?" Azeem asked incredulously. "The boy was taunting them?"

She nodded. "I think he did it for Wulf's sake, mostly."

"Take a beating for Wulf's sake?" Fanny asked.

She nodded. "I don't think Wulf understood what he was doing, but he was distracting them. If they hadn't beaten him, they'd have beaten Wulf. It's the way they are. Pick on the weakest, the smallest, the youngest." She looked Fanny in the eye. "Will's sharp tongue kept them from your son."

Fanny stared at Marian for a moment, but then she blinked and rubbed a hand across her eyes. "Well, we won't let him regret that, will we?" She turned to Azeem. "What more can we do for him?"

Azeem had a hand on the lump on the side of Will's head. It was large, and by the way Will moved when he touched it, he would guess it was tender. He gently laid down Will's head, and forced an eye open so he could look at it. His curses did nothing to reassure his audience.

When Azeem drew back a hand and slapped Will hard across the face, both women shrieked and lunged for his arm to try to keep him from repeating the blow.

Robin's arrival with the wagon saved them the bother. "What are you doing?" He was as shocked as the women, but it was tempered by his faith in his friend.

"He should be kept awake. I have seen men die from falling asleep with an injury like this." He looked to Robin, speaking earnestly. "Wake him if you can. It is his best hope."

Robin needed no further encouragement. He knelt by his brother's side. "Will! Can you hear me? Wake up." Robin shook him, tentatively at first, then slightly harder.

A murmured protest came forth. "Wha…Stop…"

"Will!"

Will blinked in confusion and brought his bleary eyes to focus on Robin. "Robin?"

"Will, how are you feeling?"

"I've been better," he admitted, a sardonic smile twisting his features.

Robin and the others were much relieved at this reply. Azeem spoke first. He asked Will questions about how he felt until Will began to get tired and confused and his words slurred. He turned to Robin, grim and worried. "Keep him awake, Christian. Sleep is his enemy now."

They gently moved Will into the back of the wagon. Marian took the reins, Fanny climbing in beside her. "Be careful," Robin warned. "We may need to go more slowly depending on Will and his condition." He glanced to Azeem, who nodded in agreement.

"You are right, Christian. The Young Christian will determine the speed we travel. We should make it as smooth a ride as possible." Robin and Azeem climbed in beside Will.

John took the lead taking the responsibility for the others so that Robin and Azeem could tend to Will. He found himself answering questions about the suddenly revealed brotherly bond all the way to Marian's home.

Keeping Will awake was no easy task but they with Marian driving the wagon and Azeem and Robin talking and cajoling the young man, they managed.

Marian watched Robin, seeing how tentative he was with Will, how concerned he was about the younger man's injuries. She had questions of her own, but since Robin was preoccupied with Will, she turned to Fanny.

The woman laughed when she asked her first question. "It was a surprise to us, too! He just blurted it out when he came back from Nottingham! Told Robin that he wanted to know why their father loved Robin best! Robin didn't 'alf believe him, or maybe 'e didn't want to. 'E pushed 'im, shook 'im…but it was all 'alf'earted if you ask me. In the end he clutched at Will like a drowning man clutches at a log in the river!"

Marian could well imagine. His return to England had been haunted by the changes he'd found when he got here, but no change was worse to the man than the loss of his father.

For a brother to surface so suddenly must have been as much a shock to him as his father's death had been.

"So, he believes Will? He has no doubt?"

"Oh, you'd 'ave to ask 'im that, my dear. He certainly 'asn't denied Will since that first embrace." She glanced around and satisfied that no one could hear them, she told Marian everything. From the moment Will had returned to Sherwood, John's violent attack and accusations, the lashes on Will's torso and back, his daring Robin to turn and walk away or stand by them and fight…and his revelation about their father.

Marian sighed. She had missed a lot. "Do you think they can learn to care for each other?"

Fanny laughed. "I think they learned that already."

To Be Continued


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Note: This is the entire chapter 4. I think I've worked out how to get my section breaks in my story. If this works, chapters will be a bit longer from this point on. If it doesn't work, I'll be reposting this and breaking it into sections.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 4: First Steps

By midnight, Robin had called a halt and set up a small camp. It seemed they would not make it to Marian's before the next morning, and with the moon under cloud cover, there was not enough light to travel safely for so large a group of people. When the children had begun stumbling, he'd called the halt and begun to gather wood for a fire. The others followed his example.

Once settled by the fire, it was a struggle to keep Will talking. His injuries and his fatigue were taking their toll. Robin sat by him in front of the fire and told him stories of the Crusades. He said nothing of the battles, of course. Instead he spoke of Azeem and of how they'd met, of the things he and Peter did to remind them of home.

Will laughed at first. He seemed to be enjoying the tales, but the later it became the more he wanted to rest. 

Robin noticed how quiet he was getting, and tried at first to talk louder. Then, he began to ask Will questions prompting him to keep talking. He knew he was taking advantage of Will's state to learn more about his past. He was more likely to answer without thinking in this condition, and it was to Robin's benefit.

"Tell me about your mother, Will." Robin suggested. He kept his tone soft and even, and Will did just as he asked.

"Mum was a special woman. Smart. Smarter than most anyway. She loved word games and rhymes. Nothing thrilled her more than hearing someone make a rhyme."

"Is that why you do it?"

Will smiled. "Anything to please Mum." His eyes began to close.

"Where did you live?" Robin's voice grew louder.

"On the outskirts of Nottingham. Not quite as far out as Sherwood."

Robin noticed that Will was saying as little as he could now and not offering to embellish his tales at all. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stay awake. "Will…" He had another question he had to ask. "Did you ever meet our father?"

Will's eyes took on a faraway look. "No. Not face to face. I was turned away the one time I tried to get in to the castle to see him. His men told me he was too busy for the likes of me."

"When was this?"

"A year or so after Mum died. I was eleven years old."

Those words hit Robin like another blow to the gut. Will had been on his own since the age of ten? No! He must have had an aunt, an uncle…someone to look after him.

"Where did you go to live once your mother died?" Robin asked the question hoping the answer would be to his liking.

"I lived on the streets for awhile. Then I started stealing…before I was 15 I was living in Sherwoood."

"Will…"

Will's eyes focused on Robin more clearly than they had since he'd been hit on the head. "Don't you apologize to me, Robin of Locksley. My life may not have been pretty, but it was mine."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

Will winced. "Neither am I. My head hurts."

"We need to learn things about each other, Will."

"Yes, I agree, but can't you wait until we're on even footing? I can't think what to ask you, and I couldn't possibly remember what you say." 

"Fair enough, Will."

Azeem came forward then and looked in Will's eyes. He grunted in satisfaction. "You are improving."

"Can I sleep?"

"Not yet, but soon." 

"You said that hours ago!" Will yelled, then regretted it when his head began to pound.

"It takes as long as it takes, Young Christian."

Azeem began to tell tales of his homeland at Robin's urging. He hoped Azeem's tales, the exotic locales and unfamiliar details would make it easier for Will to remain awake. For several hours he talked and when he was too hoarse to continue, there was another volunteer.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

John Little hesitated to take his turn, knowing he had leaped to the wrong conclusion on more than one occasion where Will was concerned. The last time had been particularly bad. It was no wonder Wulf thought Will a traitor considering the way John had treated him. He wondered if he'd ever let on that he'd never quite trusted the young outlaw.

He wouldn't blame Will Scarlett at all for not wanting to be near him. Still, he went and stood half embarrassed in front of the injured boy. He realized he was lucky he had stopped attacking Will before he had caused any serious injury. He wondered more than once what he might have done if the Sheriff hadn't whipped the lad. If he hadn't seen those marks on the boy's chest, would he have hurt him? He tried to tell himself he wouldn't have done it, but he would never be sure.

The hardest thing he'd ever done in his life was stand before Will wondering what to say.

"Your turn?" Will asked making John jump a bit. He'd thought the boy's attention was elsewhere.

"If you'll allow it."

Will's mouth quirked up in a crooked smile. "And why wouldn't I, John? Every friendship worth having can weather a disagreement or two, can't it?" He looked away looking just as embarrassed as John. "Truth is I gave everyone plenty of reason to distrust me, and I shouldn't be surprised that you didn't." He chanced a glance at the bigger man. "Friends?"

John grinned and reached out both hands to engulf Will's. "That we are, Will Scarlett! That we are!" He laughed and Will grinned back at him.

John grew serious. "You saved my boy's life."

"I was supposed to, but I was tied to a barrel. Robin did that."

John shook his head. "In the cell, the dungeon…did you really call the guard a coward?"

"How did you…?"

"We pieced it together. Marian was there trying to get in to see you and the others. She was outside the cell and guessed why you were taunting them. Wulf and the others told us what you said…how you made up a rhyme about the guard's lack of courage and sang it out until he was obliged to shut you up." John looked up at the darkened night. The clouds had parted earlier leaving a clear and starry sky. John continued to study it, blinking rapidly as he spoke. "I thank you, Will Scarlett. I don't know what Fanny and me woulda done if Wulf had…Thanks, Will."

Uncomfortable with the accolades, Will accepted as graciously as he could. "I'm glad they fell for it, John. I'd hate to think what they would have done to him."

John nodded swallowing hard. He'd never heard Will so honest. He'd never expected the boy to say anything like that. John considered that perhaps the blow to Will's head had been harder than he'd expected. For him to admit to helping Wulf, or indeed anyone, without brushing it off as coincidental that what he was going to do anyway happened to benefit someone else was something John had never expected to see.

After a moment, he began to tell Will amusing stories about his life with Fanny and 8 children. True or not, the stories were funny and kept Will wide-awake for several hours.

That was when Marian insisted on taking her own turn.

Will was more than a little uncomfortable with the lady. She was a noblewoman and cousin to the King…and Robin's girlfriend. He didn't know what they could possibly find to talk about…until she began to tell him embarrassing tales of Robin as a child. How he tormented her, burning her hair, being a bully…

"He was, I am sorry to say, quite the spoiled brat."

"What changed him?"

"I suppose it was the Crusades. They say once a man's been to war he never sees things the same way again."

Will leaned forward slightly and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Are you glad he's changed?"

She smiled and nodded. "Aren't you?"

"I never knew him before." Will shrugged. "I still don't know him. I've done little more than avoid him since he came to Sherwood. I assumed I knew all I needed to know and I never really gave him a chance. I had in my head a picture of what I thought he was…what I thought all Noblemen are. I don't think it was ever that accurate. I only ever knew of him whatever I heard, and what I heard was what I wanted to hear." He shifted his position slightly, wincing at the movement, but waving away her offer of help.  
>Settled once more, he continued. "I wanted to believe the worst of Lord Locksley and his son Robin, because…if I couldn't believe the worst, that they were useless, and full of themselves, then I had to believe that there was a good reason they rejected me and my mum." He wiped a hand across his eyes, already stinging with fatigue.<p>

Marian reached a hand over to lay it gently on Will's shoulder. "Will…don't do this to yourself." 

Will rubbed a hand across his eyes. "I don't know why I'm telling you all of this."

"Because I'm listening." She rubbed his shoulder. "But you need to know Robin will listen, too. He's a good man."

"I'm beginning to realize that."

It wasn't long after that Azeem declared the worst over and told Will he could go to sleep. Will was overjoyed at first, but found sleep was more elusive than he would have thought possible.

He wanted nothing more than to be sound asleep, but try as he might, he could not do it. Azeem refused him anything to help him sleep because of his injuries, so he sat staring at the fire, rocking back and forth, with his arms wrapped around himself.

Will sighed, and Robin was sure he'd never heard a wearier sound in his life.

"I'm so tired." Will whispered, letting his head drop down to rest on his knees, hair obscuring his face, and his arms wrapped tighter around himself. He looked forlorn, and Robin marveled anew that this was his brother.

He sat by Will's side. "Will, lie down. Rest."

"I can't sleep."

"Don't try to sleep. Just lie down." He helped Will settle down, his head resting in Robin's lap. "Close your eyes."

Will did, and Robin began to talk in the softest of tones telling Will of his life before and during the Crusades and of how he'd always wanted a brother. He spoke of the future and painted a picture of the pair of them learning about each other, being inseparable and always being there for each other.

Will Scarlett listened to the words, and whether it was his exhaustion, his injuries, his brother's tone, or his great desire to believe, he heard them without infusing them with cynicism and doubt. He was soon fast asleep.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

It was a quiet trek to Marian's home, and, though Robin would have preferred returning to Sherwood, he had to admit, it was more expedient to go with Marian. Sherwood was a shambles. The village they'd created in the trees of the great forest had been decimated by the Celts. Burned and broken the trees didn't offer much in the way of shelter, and there'd be no time to make repairs while still trying to live amongst the burned out mess. He would have to content himself with putting together a detail of the most able bodied of the group to visit in the next day or two and begin setting things right.

He had no delusions that just because Nottingham and his witch were dead that their problems were over. Technically, they were still outlaws. They had yet to be officially pardoned. To Robin's mind, that made Sherwood safer in the long run.

Robin's worry now was Will. He had left the young man alone for the shortest of times, and he'd nearly gotten himself killed. To be fair, many of his men had still seen him as a traitor. The only thing that made sense to him was that he should have had Will come with him. He couldn't imagine Will voluntarily climbing into the catapult with Azeem and him, and the thought of either Mortianna or Nottingham causing him harm was enough to make him want to kill them all over again, but his brother had fared no better amongst people who should have been his friends.

Had he been the cause of this?

Had his father's rejection at his behest caused Will to grow up unable to make friends? He seemed to be isolated even among those who had known him for years. What was it John had said the night they'd met? _He's full of piss and wind._

Robin realized speculation was getting him nowhere. He had to talk to people who had known Will. Perhaps John and Fanny could help him. He had quickly become obsessed with learning everything he could learn about Will Scarlett. Where and how he had grown up, whom he had known, how he had spent his days and nights…all became burning questions in his mind and heart. His head tried to tell him there was plenty of time, but the Crusades had taught him not to take such things at face value, and the number of times Will Scarlett had nearly died since he'd discovered they were brothers urged him to treat each moment as a gift.

Yes, talking to the outlaws was the only option.

Vowing to sit down with them as soon as time and responsibility allowed, he looked to his left where Marian rode one of Nottingham's horses. There were thirty horses in all, and Marian had only permitted them to be taken from the Sheriff's stables with the promise that they would be returned. She would not add to the list of crimes she presented to King Richard for pardon.

"Is there room?"

She glanced at him, startled from her own thoughts. "At my home? We will make room. Those badly injured may take rooms in the castle. Others may sleep in the barn or on the grounds. We will be fine."

He nodded. "Marian," he faltered for a moment. "Did he hurt you?"

Marian almost smiled at the gentle tone. "He tried, but he was not successful."

Robin did smile at that. Whatever else he was about to say was cut short at a joyous cry from somewhere ahead of them. They were in sight of Marian's lands.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Marian was never more pleased to see her home. Her expert eye assessed the crowds and the available food. She began to make lists in her head. Work details would be needed to make the more disused rooms livable. She would need to offer rooms to Robin and Will and Azeem and she'd already decided that Fanny, John, and their children would get one of the larger rooms. She would offer rooms in the castle itself to the ill and those with young children. When that ran out, people would have to use the barn.

With luck, the roof could be seen to before the rains started.

She knew this would be temporary and based entirely on what Robin decided to do. After yesterday, these people would follow him anywhere.

She and Azeem got to work seeing that the injured, including Will, were properly housed. She'd set Robin, Will, and Azeem together in a room near her own. She was too worried about Will and too in love with Robin to worry about how this would look to proper society. She was well past such things by now. Proper society had embraced the Sheriff of Nottingham as a good and powerful man. That was reason enough to disparage proper society.

The Littles would need more space, and so would take the room that had been her father's. It was the largest in the castle and with so many children they would need every inch. She'd grown fond of Fanny's company and would keep her close. She liked the woman's frankness and was glad of the chance to speak to her.

When she'd finished seeing to the immediate concerns, she took a bit of time to freshen up and then went to see Robin. The room was dim. Heavy draperies shut out the bright daylight. Only a few candles gave a feeble glow to their immediate surroundings. Will was asleep ensconced beneath a heavy blanket. A bowl of water and a cloth stood on the side table, and Robin sat in a chair by the bed staring at the still form of his brother.

She was just about to slip back out when he sensed her somehow and waved her inside. "Is he improving?" She kept her voice low as suited the surroundings.

Robin nodded, though there was a shadow of doubt in his eyes. "Yes, Azeem seems to think he's come through the worst."

Marian frowned. "You don't seem as relieved as I'd imagined such news would make you. What's wrong?"

Robin looked down rather sheepishly then looked her in the eye. "I want to hear it from him. He hasn't been awake for more than a few moments at a time since he fell asleep in the early hours of the morning." Indeed, Marian recalled that the boy had barely stirred. Robin had had to carry him to the cart and then carry him again to this room. He'd mumbled once or twice and he'd tried to walk, but he hadn't seemed aware of much and he'd lacked any sort of strength.

"I'm sure he needs the rest." Marian hoped that was reassuring. 

"That's what Azeem says." He sighed, and she knew there was a world of hurt behind that sound. "He's my brother. I feel I've let him down."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to forestall anything she might say. "Please don't say I haven't. I'm responsible for this."

"For him being hurt?"

He nodded. "For that, for his station in life. For him not being a Lord. For him not knowing our father. For every bad thing that's happened to him as a direct result of my telling my father that he should not be carrying on with his mother." He shook his head as if in disbelief and looked away again. "The things I said to my father…I told him he'd betrayed my mother's memory. I told him that he had forsaken her, forgotten her, that he must never have loved her…I never really forgave him. I was distant with him from that moment until I left for the Crusades."

She reached out a tentative hand and rested it on his shoulder. "Robin, your father was a good man. He understood your pain."

His head snapped up and his eyes locked on hers. "But _I _didn't understand _his!_"

She embraced him and he buried his face on her shoulder. He would not cry, she knew, for men like him did not do that, especially in front of women. They were strong and silent, accepting their own pain as punishment and not seeking the solace of what women called "a good cry" since tears could only mean weakness.

The shock when he began to shake with silent sobs robbed her of any words of comfort she might have offered.

It lasted only briefly as though he'd forgotten himself and then suddenly remembered, but he did not wipe away the evidence of the moment from his face. "I ruined four lives that day; my father's, his mistress's, my brother's, and my own."

She reached out a hand and wiped his face mopping up the tears with her palm and her sleeve. "You cannot undo what's been done. You can only go forward now." She gestured to the still form lying in the bed. "Help him to heal and you will find that you heal yourself."

Will began to stir, and Marian took that as her cue to depart. She gestured to him, and move toward the door. "I will send up some food and drink."

His hand on her arm stopped her. "Marian...there is much that must be healed, and it's not just my relationship with Will. We haven't properly talked since…"

Marian stepped closer to him and kissed him long and deep. When she drew away, her eyes searched his. "We have time…"

"But…"

She put a finger to his lips and spoke in a whisper. "Talk to your brother. When you have made a beginning with him, come to my chambers and…" she smiled, "we will make a beginning of our own."

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

He returned her smile and watched her leave marveling at her strength. She had been through more, suffered more, than he could imagine. He fought against the Sheriff to defeat him. She fought against him to save herself from the single most brutal form of attack anyone could endure. He wanted to take her in his arms and guarantee that such a thing would never happen again. He wanted to take away all memory of it, but at this point, he wasn't even sure she wanted to acknowledge that it had happened.

The sound of movement on the bed behind him drew him closer to Will. His brother wasn't quite conscious yet, and he seemed to be in the throes of some nightmare.

He waited a moment to see if Will would snap out of it on his own, but instead Will's movements became more violent. He thrashed about on the bed calling out to his mother…

Robin shook Will calling his name and trying to break him out of it. "Will! Wake up! It's a nightmare…"

Will's eyes popped wide open, his hands holding Robin's wrists in a white-knuckled grip. His breath came in quick gasps and he repeated "What?" again and again.

"You were having a dream, Will. It's all right."

As Robin watched, Will closed his eyes and seemed to will himself to stop trembling. He swallowed twice and then opened his eyes. "I'm fine," he said, but he wouldn't look Robin directly in the eyes. Robin wondered if the nightmare embarrassed him or if he could still be uncomfortable with him. They had spoken only briefly about their relationship before attempting to rescue everyone from Nottingham. Could it be that Will thought something had changed?

"Will?"

"I'm fine. Really."

Robin shook his head. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

Will laughed. "Both, I think."

Robin couldn't help but notice that Will still wasn't looking at him. "What is it Will? Has something changed? Has something happened to rekindle your distrust?"

Will's head snapped up and he stared wide-eyed at his brother. "N-no…I…" His face flushed, Will looked away, but Robin wouldn't let him. Robin put a hand on his brother's cheek and turned him slowly forcing Will to look him in the eye.

"Then what is it, Will Scarlett? I know I haven't earned your trust, but I had hoped we could begin to make some progress."

"You…you saved my life, Robin."

Robin shook his head dropping his hand. "That doesn't earn your trust. Perhaps gratitude, but I don't think I deserver that, either. We have a lot to talk about, Will. We have our lifetimes to share. I want to know everything about you."

Will snorted. "Not a lot to tell. I'm an outlaw."

Robin laughed. "So am I!" He smiled at Will. "Besides, there's a story behind that, I think."

"You want to hear it?"

Will didn't hide his surprise, and Robin wondered at that. Did he really still think Robin so shallow that he wouldn't have any interest in Will's life? Robin smiled in what he hoped was an encouraging way. "I do."

"Well, there's really not a lot to tell…" Will looked away biting his lip as though afraid he would begin to tell Robin things that he wasn't ready to explain.

Robin could see it was too soon. Will was still recovering from his injuries, and he didn't look up to telling a long story, nor did Robin think it a good idea to regale him with more tales of the Crusades or of their father. He'd begun that already, but there was too much to tell. He had to be patient.

"You should eat something first." He didn't miss the relief that spread across Will's features and he congratulated himself for making the right choice.

To Be Continued


	15. Chapter 15

Thank you for your reviews. They do make me try to post quicker. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

**Part 5: Accusations**

The days that followed were busy ones. Marian spent her time seeing that everyone was safe and healthy and writing letters to her cousin, King Richard. She'd sent one to London in case he did not get the ones she sent to him abroad and went there before coming to her in Nottingham. Not that she was entirely certain he would come right to her at any rate. He had other responsibilities to see to when he returned, and she knew she could not possibly be at the top of his list.

She only hoped her letters might convey some of the urgency the situation demanded. In the few days since the Sheriff's death, a struggle for power had already begun. Several Lords from nearby had begun to try to assert their own right to rule over Nottingham and annex it to their own property. Marian had urged Robin to step forward, for certainly if his father were alive, he would have been a prime candidate.

Robin had shaken his head sadly. "He hasn't been cleared. Most people remember him as a devil worshipper. He died in disgrace. The other Lords would not accept me as their equal any more than they would accept Will."

In his eyes she had seen a flash of determination as he'd said that and she imagined that he intended to be sure the people of Nottingham accepted Will Scarlett even if no one else did.

What she intended to do was to be sure he got that chance. Her letters to King Richard would eventually secure his pardon and the pardons of the other outlaws. That was all he had asked of her besides letting the King know that Nottingham had been plotting against him, so there still existed a danger that someone else would pick up the tattered remains of that plot. She had also, though she had not told Robin, informed King Richard of what Robin and Will had suffered. It was abbreviated of course, and her implication that Lord Locksley would surely have restored his birthright to his second son if he had but known of his existence was liberally infused with moments of heroism from both Locksley sons. She described the Sheriff's treatment of his prisoners in as much detail as she dared—mentioning that she'd witnessed Will being brutally tortured as he attempted to direct attention away from a young boy who would surely have been the Sheriff's preferred target otherwise—and ended her letter with a telling of how the Sheriff of Nottingham had nearly forced her to marriage and to bear his sons in a brutal attack that still haunted her dreams. Richard had always had a soft spot for her, and she knew he would be livid with the Sheriff and grateful to Robin for saving her.

She could only hope that the Crusades had not so altered the cousin of her memories and that, upon his return to England, Richard would restore Lord Locksley's lands to his son. His sons.

Today wasn't the day to dwell on that, however. She had planned to travel today to a nearby town to speak to some Noblemen who'd retreated there until the dust in Nottingham settled and they would be in a better position to determine how things stood and whom they should support. She hoped to convince a few to stand by Robin, though she would have to be discreet until she could reliably determine who was trustworthy.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Will Scarlett prowled around the castle looking for something to distract him. He'd been confined to bed for days…an endless amount of time to him as he'd never even had a bed before in his life but had always made do with a mat on the floor in his mother's home, and later with a bit of forest floor if he were having a good day.

His recovery had been slow, and his exhaustion after the initial day or so when Azeem had told Robin not to allow him to lose consciousness had led him to spend much of his time sleeping.

After the exhaustion had dissipated and he and Robin had spent some time being awkward in each other's company rather than getting to know each other, Will had begun to beg to be allowed to help the others.

Azeem had been adamant at first that this was not wise, but after a few days, he had reluctantly admitted that there was little danger, but that it was up to Robin. Robin of course had erred on the side of caution. He did not want to take any risk with Will's life, he'd explained.

Will, however, had had enough. He felt isolated—even more so than he had most of his life, which he'd never have imagined possible. He was also more than a little afraid. He wasn't sure if anyone aside from Robin had actually forgiven him for his transgressions, both real and imagined. Some of these men were just as stubborn as he was, they just tended to go along with the majority and not speak out. Unlike Will. He'd been speaking out against nobles most of his life, and he'd seen no reason not to do the same against Robin when they'd first met. Granted, his past had likely skewed his perspective. He'd wanted to prove Robin was what he'd thought he was. The time Robin had spent in Sherwood had only confused him. That was the crux of the problem.

The fact was, no one really knew the truth, not even himself. He wasn't sure if he had intended to kill Robin when he'd bargained with the Sheriff. He wasn't sure what he would have done if he'd been able to speak to Robin in Sherwood before John had attacked him.

He'd been desperate. That was the only thing he knew for certain. Thinking back on what Robin had asked him, he realized that he'd longed to ask the same. What were Robin's intentions? In the end, he had learned just that, but he had spilled his secrets first.

He had never been more afraid.

When he'd revealed who he was, Robin had called him a liar and had screamed that it wasn't true. Will had expected that, and for a moment he'd been sure that he'd been right about Robin, that he would turn his back on them…on him. Robin's embrace had surprised him.

That he had seemed willing to do whatever was necessary to save Will's life when the thief had been tied to that barrel had surprised him even more.

Finally reaching the outdoors, Will stepped through the door and breathed deeply of the morning air. He closed his eyes taking in the smell of the hay and the pine and the cooking fires. He opened his eyes again and was shocked to be face to face with Azeem.

The large Moor had a grin on his face. "Young Christian!" He greeted Will. "You're out!"

Will nodded and looked around afraid Azeem might call Robin's attention to him. "Yes, and I'm trying to stay that way! Please don't tell Robin…"

Azeem laughed. "You were less afraid of him before he knew who you were, Young Christian."

Will's eyes flashed with a hint of the anger and pride that he'd clutched at so fiercely all of his life, but he found he could not cling to it as desperately as before. Shockingly, he'd retreated to truth. "I'm not afraid of Robin. I just don't want him insisting I stay inside. I've never been so still in my life!"

Azeem nodded, still laughing. "Of that I am sure, Young Christian. I will not tell him! Enjoy your freedom while you can!" and his head moved to indicate Robin of Locksley heading in their direction.

Will smiled and ran.

Robin caught up with Azeem and glared. "Are you encouraging this?"

"He will be fine, Christian! You should be more concerned about speaking to him than keeping him locked in that bedroom!" Azeem sobered and placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "You cannot be so afraid to lose him that you chase him from your side. Speak to the boy and you may find you like and respect him enough to become friends rather than locking him away to keep him safe."

Robin stared at Azeem and shrugged off his hand. "I don't know what you mean."

"You are a stubborn man, but even you are not so obtuse as that, Christian!" He laughed again as Robin raced off after Will.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Will ran only a short distance away. He was leaning happily against a wall, grinning over the fact that he'd left Robin far behind. His eyes roamed across the horizon, and he frowned. There was something there. He squinted and leaned a bit away from the wall. He could make out only that there were several people on horseback riding toward Marian's home. They could be friends, but all of Robin's friends were here. That meant they had to be enemies.

Forgetting he was hiding from Robin, he tore back the way he came frantically searching for him. His eyes scanned around him, his head turning this way and that until, inevitably, he found himself racing headlong at a horse. The horse reared, startled, and Will tried to sidestep, but succeeded only in taxing his much recovered, but still recovering, body. The mud beneath his feet from last night's rain certainly didn't help. He fell first to his knees, and then to one side. He brought a hand up reflexively to protect himself, but knew it would not help if the horse chose to come down squarely on him. A moment later, the horse was yanked to one side, and Will blinked in surprise.

John Little stood there soothing the frightened creature, and Robin had somehow magically appeared by his side. Before his brother could ask him anything, Will grabbed his arm with his right hand and pointed out towards the perimeter where he'd seen the riders. "Someone's coming…half a dozen on horseback…" he panted trying to regain his breath. Then he shook Robin. "I don't know who they are…but…"

Robin nodded, getting the point. "But we don't have many friends and benefactors." He looked at John. "John, take Will back to his room and let Marian know what's going on. I'll gather the men to secure the walls." He looked Will in the eye. "I know you're going to say you're fit enough to help, but do me this favor. Go back with John. You may have recovered from your injuries, but I haven't."

Will wanted to protest, but what could he say to that. He swallowed the words that tried to escape him and nodded instead. Robin helped him to his feet and Will followed John. He spared a glance back at Robin only to see him staring after him, a concerned look on his face.

Once inside he turned to John. "You don't have to take me all he way to my room, John. Go. Find Marian."

John laughed. "Rob will ask me if I took you to your room, an' a good liar I am _not_!"

Will laughed and they continued walking.

As soon as they reached Will's room, John patted him on the back. "You stay put, you hear?"

Will nodded, but had to ask a question. "John, we've known each other a long time. You've been a friend to me even when I didn't deserve it…but why is it you're more concerned for my welfare now that you know I'm his brother than you were before?"

John blinked his eyes rapidly in confusion, then laughed heartily throwing back his head. When he finally stopped laughing long enough to speak, he shook his head at Will. "That's what you think, is it? If that were true, Will Scarlett, I'd not have spent half the sleepless nights I did tracking you through Sherwood to be sure you were safe before you officially joined my band of merry men."

It was Will's turn to be surprised. "You did what?"

"Oh, aye, and I'd have taken you in sooner, lad if you'd have let me. You were…"

Will nodded ruefully. "Piss and wind."

"Aye," John laughed. "That you were." He sobered and placed a hand on Will's shoulder. "What happened to your mum, Will, I wish I'd been able to stop it…"

Will looked down and tried to turn away. He'd run from that night all his life, dreading sleep in case the memory of it came to life with the waning of the sun, hiding from things that might remind him of it…learning not to look at a fire too closely or to stare too long at the flames…it was what he'd been dreaming when Robin had asked him to tell him the tale of how he'd become an outlaw.

John sighed and Will chanced a look up at him. "Will, you're not as alone as ye think."

Will didn't know how to respond to that. "I don't know what to say."

"Say nothing, then, Will, but keep yourself alive for the sake of your brother and the others around here who are a bit attached to ye, piss and wind and all."

"I thought…especially when I came back from Nottingham…I thought you hated me."

John's smile fell. "I'm sorry, lad. I was worried for Wulf, and seein' you standing there could only mean you'd made a deal."

"I did."

"But I should 'ave known ye wouldn't betray us."

"_I_ didn't know I wouldn't."

John smiled sadly. "That's because you've spent your life thinkin' you were alone and listening to no one…not even yourself. It's time to put it to rest, lad. Whatever burden you're carryin'…put it down. Or at least share it with that brother of yours."

"I suppose I haven't got much to lose."

John laughed again. "Now that you say so, no, ye don't!"

"Go on," Will said. "Find Marian before Robin sends a search party for you." Will slipped inside his room and closed the door.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

John found Marian and the Lady insisted on going with him to see who was coming to the castle. Arguments did not move her. "This is my home," she said, "and whoever is coming may be a family friend or may have news."

The best John could do was stick close to her side and protect her if the need for protection arose. He fingered a knife he held concealed at his belt, wishing he had a staff as the feel of the wood in his hands made him feel safe and invincible.

When they arrived, Robin was already speaking to the new arrivals who seemed neither hostile nor friendly.

That changed when they saw Marian.

"Lady Marian!" One called out to her and leaped from his horse. "We heard there was trouble in Nottingham and feared the worst!"

Marian laughed and ran the last few feet to greet the man. He caught her in his arms and swung her around a time or two before setting her lightly down.

John glanced to Robin who took this all in with an odd expression on his face; half jealousy and half confusion.

Marian took the man by the arm and led him back to Robin's side. "This is Robin of Locksley…"

"Robin of the Hood?" The man was shocked and looked disapprovingly at Marian. "You are harboring a thief here?"

Marian laughed. "I'm harboring many thieves, Henry. The Thieves of Sherwood Forest are welcome here."

"Your mother was quite concerned when she heard what was happening, but I confess it did not occur to her—or to any of us, that you might be so deeply involved."

"Henry, you've no idea what's been happening here. I'll explain it all to you. Come inside and take some refreshment."

As Henry moved away, she caught his arm. "But first, let me properly introduce you. Henry, this is Robin of Locksley." 

Robin held out his hand and the two shook. "Henry…"

"Henry, Duke of Essex."

"Duke of Essex…" Robin looked to Marian for explanation, but her face told him clearly that it would come later.

Marian gestured toward John. "And this is John Little."

The Duke seemed surprised at the bulk of the man before him, but shook his hand politely.

"Oh, and this is Azeem."

The Duke's surprise doubled. "Yes…um…hello."

In moments, Marian led the man and his entourage away chatting with him and asking questions about life in London in general and about her mother in particular.

John watched her go before moving to Robin's side. "She's full o' surprises, wouldn't ye say?"

"That she is, John." He stared after Marian for a moment or two, then shook himself from his thoughts. "We need to send a group to our camp in Sherwood. I want us ready to move back to it if necessary. I don't want us causing Marian any more difficulties."

John nodded. He'd been thinking much the same. "I'll take a group out there today, then. We'll start repairs and let you know how long it would take to get things livable."

Robin nodded. "Thank you, John. I'd go with you, but I want to keep an eye on this Duke, and on Will. He doesn't do well in the presence of Noblemen or Royalty."

John clapped a hand on Robin's back. "You're right about that. Don't worry, Rob. We'll get Sherwood sorted."

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Robin followed Marian and the Duke at a discreet distance. He didn't want to intrude. They were obviously old friends. He didn't recall her being friendly with any Duke when he was younger, so they must have met after he'd left for the Crusades. He regretted those five years more and more.

He'd had visions of glory and of fighting a worthy cause. Instead he had missed the last five years of his father's life. He had returned home to find an England topsy-turvy to everything he remembered and held dear.

Had he gained anything?

That was a question he'd been up nights considering. The only things he'd gained had been good friends…Azeem, and, since his return…Marian, Will…the rest of the Sherwood residents.

A new thought occurred to him with such startling clarity that he wondered for a moment where it had come from. He had gained Marian and Will since returning, it was true, but the Robin he'd been when he'd left would never have pursued Marian, and would likely have denied the veracity of Will's claim to be his brother. If he'd never left, he would have been home when his father died, but most likely he would never have reconciled.

If he had never gone, he would be alone right now.

He shook his head as though to shake loose the thoughts. They gave him a headache the more he considered them.

He neared Marian and the Duke in time to hear the Lady invite him to stay the night.

"I wish that I could, My Lady," the Duke replied, "but I'm afraid I must be off very soon. I am on business for the Crown."

Marian blinked but covered her surprise. "For King Richard?"

"No, for Prince John. He has sent me to see to some rumors." He smiled and kissed her hand. "Nothing that need concern you, Lady Marian."

Marian smiled, but it was a smile that did not reach her eyes. "Well, I wouldn't dream of keeping you from it." She withdrew her hand from his, her tone a bit icier than it had been earlier, but the Duke did not seem to notice. "You will at the very least stay for a meal, won't you?"

"I should not, My Lady, but I find I cannot tear myself from your company. I would be pleased to dine with you."

"Then please, take some time to freshen up. We will be serving our midday meal shortly." She gestured to a private room and moved off toward the kitchen. "I will make sure there is sufficient food."

Robin watched the Duke watch her. There was something about the man, he didn't like at all, but he couldn't be sure it wasn't merely jealousy on his part.

He followed Marian into the kitchen where he found her consulting with Fanny on how to stretch the meal and make it at least look sumptuous.

"Why do you care so much for appearances?"

Marian scowled. "I care nothing for appearances for their own sake, but this serves a purpose. If the Duke returns to Prince John with news that I am vulnerable and that I am housing Sherwood's Thieves, I may lose my home and find myself in no position to help Richard…or you."

"I am moving my people to Sherwood at the earliest possible moment." Robin informed her.

She scowled again. "And if that had been moments before the Duke arrived it might have done us both some good. Now, he has the ear of the Prince. He can make any report he wishes. I must make him wish to make the one I wish."

Robin shook his head. "Can you do that?"

She smiled. "I can try."

"Whatever you need my people to do, say it and it will be done."

She smiled. "For now, we must make it seem as regal as possible. He may simply write off the presence of so many peasants as a woman's softhearted hope to save so many homeless children. I will certainly lead his thoughts in that direction. Have no one speak ill of Nottingham or of Prince John in his hearing."

Robin nodded. "I'll spread the word."

Robin had done just that, and the refugees of Sherwood Forest were willing to do anything to help Marian since she was seen by many to be their guardian angel.

When the Prince of Thieves returned to Will's room to let him know what was going on, he found his brother asleep. He smiled at the sight. Will had apparently been waiting for him, and gotten tired. He was asleep sitting at the small table, by the bedside, his hand on a half full cup of water. Robin debated moving him to the bed, but he had no experience in such things, and decided that, given Will's exertion of the day, he most likely needed sleep in any form.

He pulled the door gently closed and went to the dining room to meet Marian and the Duke.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

The meal had gone smoothly. Robin began to understand how well Marian played the games of a successful courtesan despite—or perhaps because of—her insistence that she hated the politics of it all. Robin accompanied her and the Duke into the Courtyard to bid farewell. He only hoped the man would take his leave quickly so he could discuss things in detail with Marian.

The Duke spoke kind words about Marian's hospitality, of the food she'd served regardless of how humble they all knew it to be.

"You are too kind, Your Grace," Marian laughed as the Duke reached his horse and prepared to climb upon it. Before he'd gotten a foot into a stirrup, a cry of rage erupted from nearby.

A moment later, a dark blur launched at the Duke, a flash of silver the only indication of the real danger.

Robin moved quickly and intercepted Will moments before he would have stabbed the Duke with the blade he held in a white-knuckled grip.

Robin struggled to maintain his grip on his younger brother while also struggling to understand what had caused the attack to begin with.

"You're the one!" Will screamed, his tears falling hot and fast and his voice deepened with his anguish. "You did it!"

The Duke, realizing that the attacker was one of the peasants, drew his own sword and seemed ready to take Will's life if Robin would just release him.

"Lady Marian, who is this _peasant_?" The Duke's emphasis on the last word made it plain what he thought of peasants in general and of this one in particular.

Marian stepped forward inserting herself between Robin, still struggling to hold Will, and the Duke. "Your Grace, please forgive the misunderstanding. I'll see to it. Don't trouble yourself."

The Duke hesitated but slipped his sword back into its jeweled scabbard. "I will hold off taking any action for the moment, My Lady, but an explanation is required." His tone brooked no argument.

Marian stepped closer to the Duke and slipped an arm through his. "Oh, come now, we've had such a pleasant visit. Let's not spoil it by retreating to protocol."

"I am well within my rights." The Duke insisted, his eyes blazing a fury that bespoke emotion heretofore unseen in his rather bland countenance. "He is accusing me of something even if he is incapable of making it clear what that might be."

"I'm not disputing your right, Your Grace. I'm merely requesting that we put it down to misunderstanding and you may continue on your business for the Crown," she smiled as she emphasized the Crown in case he'd forgotten he was not on his own time but on Prince Philip's, "and I will look into it further." She gestured to Will, who still struggled with Robin, but was no longer shouting. "The boy's been unwell. He's barely left his room in days. It's likely he woke from some dream or other and charged down here not being able to tell real from imagined."

The Duke smiled and Robin began to think she had persuaded him to leave, but Will's struggles had merely subsided because his own rather depleted reserves of strength were nearly gone. He struggled weakly to break Robin's grip, though it was obvious that he did it only because he was too stubborn to give up. He surely knew he would not win. Robin looked down at his brother. His face was contorted in anger and hatred…worse even than any look the younger man had saved for Robin's benefit before he'd learned Will's identity.

"Will," Robin whispered, hoping to keep this between them. "What is it? What has this man done to you?"

He didn't notice that the Duke had indeed heard his word choice and took special interest in Will's reply.

"Robin…he…" Will paused and through visible effort brought himself under control. He stopped trembling, slipped his knife into his boot, and stood, slightly off balance, but under his own power. Robin tentatively released his hold on his brother, his eyes still searching for answers.

"You can tell me." Robin insisted.

Will looked Robin in the eye and nodded. "He…killed my mother."

To Be Continued


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note: Forgive the delay. This chapter took a bit of revising and rewriting. I kept trying to make it better. I hope you like it.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

**The Long Road Home By Ecri**

Part 6: Conversations

"Oh, I _will _have satisfaction for _that_, Lady Marian!" The Duke took several steps closer to Robin and Will, his hand firmly drawing his blade as his other hand swept Marian aside so she could not interfere.

Will fumbled for his boot to draw his blade again, but Robin stood between Will and the point of the Duke's sword.

"I cannot let you harm him, nor does protocol give you the right to skewer him like a pig." Robin spoke softly, his eyes locked on the Duke's and his own hand resting on the hilt of the sword he'd retrieved from the Sheriff that had once belonged to his father.

The Duke took this in and scoffed, his face twisting into a derisive sneer. "You stand ready to fight on behalf of _rabble_?"

Robin remembered a time when he'd used that word in reference to the men of Sherwood Forest. He shook his head more at his own stupidity and short sightedness than the Duke's. He shifted slightly to keep Will out of the Duke's sight, as he spoke again to defend his brother.

"I will fight for any man whose cause is just. This one perhaps a bit more readily."

"This one?" The Duke cast a disparaging look at Will, who stood so still and wide-eyed safely behind Robin's back. "What on earth could make this one so special? He is hardly worth Noblemen spilling each other's blood, Lord Locksley."

"He is worth ten time more than many a Nobleman I have met either here or while I was fighting in the Crusades."

The Duke laughed. "Your conviction is admirable but misplaced, Robin of Locksley. Step aside. I have every right to demand his life."

"You will have to go through me to get to my brother, Your Grace."

Robin heard Will gasp and felt the younger man grab his arm, but he ignored it. He continued to stare at the Duke.

"Brother?" The Duke's eyes narrowed in his confusion. "I know you have fought side by side with these…_people_…for some time. Word of the deeds of 'Robin of the Hood' has reached London, and you will answer to the Crown for your part in these crimes, whether it be Richard or John." 

Robin saw Marian stiffen at the subtle questioning of King Richard's authority, but the Duke merely continued. He likely hadn't noticed or just as likely wasn't concerned with a woman's opinion.

"It's understandable that you consider them brothers-in-arms, but…"

Robin interrupted. "I do consider them that, but this man _is_ my brother. He is the son of my father and the only blood relation I have left in the world. I value his life more than my own, and I will not let you have it."

The Duke stared at Robin for several moments. Robin knew he was considering his options, his so-called rights, and what propriety dictated after having accepted Lady Marian's hospitality.

He could feel Will behind him, his grip on Robin's arm tightened, but Robin did not have the time to turn and check on his brother. The Duke had all of his attention.

Tension filled the courtyard as the Duke weighed his options, and Robin dearly hoped the man would show some wisdom and depart so that he could sit down with Will and discuss his accusations.

To his relief, and the obvious relief of the others, the Duke again returned his sword to its scabbard and mounted his horse. When he spoke it was first to Marian.

"Lady Marian, I thank you again for your fine hospitality, and I will convey your well wishes to your cousin, Prince John." He turned to look at Robin. "As for you and your _brother_, I am willing to overlook this for the time being, but you had best teach him to hold his tongue in the presence of his betters."

Robin smiled. "If he is ever in the presence of his betters, I may just speak to him about that."

The Duke's patronizing smile slipped from his face and he looked over Robin's shoulder at Will who stood very still, one hand still on Robin's sleeve. "As for you, brother of Locksley, if we meet again, I should hope that you have realized your mistake."

Will took a step out from behind his brother, and Robin turned to look at him. The wide-eyed look was gone as was the slight tremble from earlier. Will was pale, but his eyes still blazed hatred and anger. "The name is Will Scarlett, and if we meet again," Will countered, his voice cold as steel and twice as hard, "_you _will realize _your _mistake."

Robin glanced at the Duke wondering if he'd let that go, but the man simply glared at Will, the anger in his own eyes almost rivaling the anger in Will's. Almost.

The Duke turned away abruptly and threw himself atop his horse. With a vicious kick to his mount, the Duke took off racing out of the Courtyard and away from Marian's home.

Only then did Robin notice that most of his men, the rabble as Henry, Duke of Essex had declared them, stood on the ramparts, arrows still aimed at the man as he rode away. He looked around at the men standing closer to them, and every one was armed whether with swords and daggers or pitchforks and clubs. He doubted the Duke would have noticed. The closer the men were to where Robin and Will stood, the less obvious were their weapons, but Robin knew things could have turned deadly in moments.

He sighed in relief that it hadn't gotten to that point. He looked again at Will. His brother's eyes were still full of emotion as he watched the Duke ride away, and Robin thought for a moment that Will might give chase. His hand clenched the knife from his boot and Robin wondered when he'd managed to retrieve it. As he watched, Will's hand began to shake and his knuckles turned white with the force of his grip. Gently, Robin took Will's hand and began to pry the knife from it. Will turned his angry eyes on Robin, but when he realized what Robin was doing, he released the knife.

Robin saw how pale Will was. He was standing through sheer force of will, and Robin wasn't sure how long that would last. He reminded himself that Will had only been out of bed for a day or two and was still recovering from the injuries he'd received courtesy of Nottingham. The lashes stood out starkly against the pale skin where Will's shirt exposed them, and the lump on the side of his head, while smaller, was still noticeable.

"Will," Robin whispered. It was all he needed to say. Will nodded in mute agreement, his eyes downcast as he allowed Robin to lead him back inside to the room they shared.

It was a quiet walk to the room and once inside Will sat upon the bed allowing Robin to see how drained he was.

Robin moved a chair to the bedside and sat in front of Will. He leaned forward. "I understand if you can't talk about it, but I would like to know what makes you think he killed your mother."

"I _don't_ think it," Will insisted. "I _know_ it. I _saw_ it." He looked at Robin and Robin saw the truth of his words in his eyes.

Robin had known Will's mother was dead, but he hadn't considered that the boy his brother had been might have witnessed anything like a murder. "Will you tell me?" He wasn't sure if Will would share this with him. He was a very guarded young man.

Will sighed, and Robin could see that he would rather forget it all. Instead he had his own questions. "What you said to him…you told him who I was…"

"Did you think I'd keep it a secret?"

"Yes!" Will blurted the word out and Robin could see he regretted it. "I mean…it's what I would expect from a…"

"From a spoiled, arrogant nobleman?"

"Well, yes…"

"I've changed. You've changed. The Crusades made me more willing to listen, to believe…I like the notion that you're my brother, Will. I've no one else." 

"You have the Lady Marian. Your peers…"

"I have Marian…once we come to a formal understanding. My best friend died outside of a prison in Azeem's homeland. Duncan was my last link to the life I had before I left home. Even Marian…our relationship was much different before I left for the Crusades. I admit I have friends here…Azeem, John, Fanny, Bull, Much…but I have no family…" he paused and took Will's arms in his hands tightening his grip to lend emphasis to his words. "…Except for you."

Will's eyes searched Robin's and he realized that Will did that a lot. It was as if he were trying to estimate the truth behind Robin's words. He wondered if Will did the same to anyone to whom he spoke or if it were a unique part of their relationship. He wasn't sure what would be better. Robin clung to his brother and to the hope that whatever he was searching for in his eyes, Will would find it.

After a time that seemed interminable to Robin, but was likely only a few moments, Will sighed heavily and began his story. He shifted on the bed and stared down at the blankets, his hair falling to obscure his face.

"I was seven years old when I learned the truth. My mother hadn't meant to tell me about my father. I'm not sure why. I'd come home that day with a black eye. The boys I'd known most of my life had begun to call me names I didn't understand. Bastard. Whoreson. They called my mum names as well, scarlet woman, hussy, loose woman. That day, when I refused to tell her why I'd been fighting, she went into a rage. I'd never kept anything from her before. I had to tell her, though I didn't much understand it.

"She was quiet at first and I thought she might let it go. Then she explained that my father was not some common man, but that he was a Lord. That he had loved her very much, but circumstances kept them apart. I didn't really understand any of that. Then it occurred to me that calling me a bastard cast a disparaging light not on me, but really more on her and on my father. She would never say a cross word about him. She loved him. It took another 2 years before she would tell me who he was.

"When she finally did, I began to walk to the grounds and try to catch a glimpse of him, but it never worked. I didn't know who I was looking for. All I knew was his name and that he was a Lord. To my mind that meant he was wealthy, and to a child who doesn't have food or warmth or any of the things money can buy…well, I expected someone dressed in gold and silver with rubies and diamonds dripping off his cloak. I never saw anything like that."

Robin nodded. "He never flaunted his wealth."

Will shrugged. "I had no way of knowing that, let along of imagining that. It was another year before all I did have came to a crashing halt. I never considered my mother a harlot. Not really. She didn't sleep with men for money when I was younger. She cleaned for them. She did their washing. She did odd jobs and whatever she needed to do to be sure we would make it through each winter.

"It was in my 9th winter, she had no choice but to succumb to the one thing she'd never intended to do. We'd had a dry summer. There was nothing left to eat in the house. We tried trading for food. I did what I could in the way of repairs, and hiring myself out, but I was small for my age and couldn't do the work of a grown man, and most people couldn't afford to part with what they had anyway. If I managed to find work, the pay wasn't good." Will stopped and swallowed several times. He looked up at the ceiling as if in supplication for strength to get through the story.

Robin placed a hand on his shoulder, and Will looked at it. He wouldn't look Robin in the eye, but he did put his own hand on top of Robin's as if holding it there…as if making sure it was real, and somehow believing that it would be snatched away if what he said was displeasing somehow.

"Mum knew this man who had offered money for her…favors…before. She'd always turned him down. He didn't live in our village, but he stayed at a nearby inn while traveling, so he was there often. He laughed at her when she went to him, but he took her to his bed. I know because I went with her. I waited outside, of course, but I heard enough before I disobeyed her and ran far enough away not to hear anything. He paid her in bread and meat. I begged her not to do it. I noticed a slow shift in the way others in the village treated us. The boys began to call me names more regularly…worse names, cruder names. Women rushed their children away when we passed. Others turned their backs or said crude things. I was in more fights."

Robin interrupted. This was obviously difficult for Will, and he regretted asking. "Will, you don't have to…"

"I want…I _want _you to know, brother."

Robin nodded, and slowly, Will continued.

"There wasn't much choice. She did it for me. To keep me fed, and it felt awful. I felt responsible. I began to wish I'd never been born. If I hadn't been, maybe she'd have had other options. The more she had to do it, the more strained our relationship became. I had to stay away from home most nights and even some days as she began to take on more and more…clients. I became bitter. I walked around the village with a chip on my shoulder, almost inviting the insults I knew would come. I fought more often, but I learned something from each fight and I usually won. I was getting a reputation as a bad influence on the other boys.

"Mum's work affected her as well. She was getting short-tempered, quick to yell at me, afraid I would come home while she was…working. She hit me more and more frequently…" He rubbed absently at his arm then as if at a remembered pain, "…but I never blamed her. It was our circumstances. It…It was me. My fault. If she'd been alone, if she hadn't had a child to care for, she might have found a husband. She might have had an easier life if not for me."

Robin's heart broke as Will's voice deepened with remorse and guilt. _What have I done?_ He thought. It wasn't Will's fault. That much was obvious. It was Robin's. If he had but considered the consequences of his anger toward his father, Will might have grown up with him in Locksley Castle. He might have had a brother. He might have had a chance to teach him things…how to ride, how to fight with a sword, how to woo a young lady.

"Will," Robin began. "You're not to blame. You were a child. Any mother would do as much for her child. It only proves she loved you."

Will nodded, but Robin could tell he didn't really believe it. Piss and wind, John had told him, but the more Robin looked, the more he saw the truth. Will might be piss and wind, but it hid insecurities, anxieties, and feelings of worthlessness. Robin didn't know how he would go about making things up to his brother.

Will continued his story. "One night, when I was 10, I woke to the sound of our door slamming. Mum had run in and shut it tight. She'd been to see him that night." Will's eyes narrowed a bit and he blinked rapidly. "She seemed frightened. I asked her why, but she wouldn't say. She just kept looking out the window.

"I finally got her to tell me some of it. I'd been sick. Unable to work. We'd had less in the last few weeks because of the coughing. No one will hire a boy who looks like he can't stand, let alone work. With a cough like I had, most were afraid of catching something. She had asked her client for a little extra. He'd beaten her for it, and she'd fled, only half dressed, one shoe missing. Her foot was bloody and blue with cold. Her face was cut and scratched. Her cheek was bloodied and her lip swollen. There were bruises on her arms.

"She kept looking out of the window, and she gave a small sound I'll never forget. It was fear, defeat, and something more. The man was there. He was someone of rank, but I never knew his name. He had refused to pay, and now he taunted her with it. 'Come and get it, darling,' he repeated. She was terrified now. She told me to go out the back way and not come back until morning. I argued. I was mad and scared and I wanted to defend her, but she tossed me out the back door. I ran a short distance away and stared at the house. I told myself I'd watch until he left and go back in.

"He kept talking. Sometimes shouting, and sometimes he was speaking softly at the door. I don't' know what he said then, but the screams and sobs from my mother were louder and more…pained somehow. After a while, he flew into a rage. Before I could comprehend it, he'd broken into the house. I ran down to the door calling for her. He was hitting her when I walked in, but he stopped when he saw me. I was afraid in the face of that man, and though I'd vowed to defend my mum, I turned to run. His rage had turned him into a demon to my eyes, and I couldn't get out of there quick enough." He laughed sourly, bitterly. "I suppose I lacked courage then, too," he whispered.

"Will…" Robin began, but Will cut him off and continued his story.

"Before I could get out of the door, he grabbed my arm. Mum protested, but he backhanded her. He tied her to a chair and told her he would take me with him as compensation for her behavior. He said he knew men who would pay well for a boy my age. I supposed he was talking about selling me off as a slave or something. I'd heard of such things before, but I'd never imagined it could happen to me. I was pulling on his arm to get him to let go, but I couldn't stop him. He was too strong, and I was so small for my age.

"He dragged me towards the door, and, as we passed the fireplace, he plunged a piece of firewood from the pile into it until it burst into flame. He took it with him. I was calling for mum. I don't know if I expected to be able to save her or if I was pleading for her to save me. He laughed at me. He said other things, but I don't remember them. It was what he did that drove those things away. He stood back and…so calmly…he tossed the burning branch up onto the thatched roof. I screamed, but he just laughed louder. I couldn't break away from him, though when I dream it, I sometimes manage it.

"The house went up in flames, and the villagers came to help, but it was mostly to be sure the flames didn't spread to their own homes.

"I suppose the number of people fighting the fire frightened him off. I found myself free of him, and though I looked around, I saw no sign that he had ever been there. I pleaded with everyone to save my mum, buy they all knew better than I did that there wasn't any way to save her." Will faltered here. Tears brimmed in his eyes, but he shook his head as though that would keep them from falling. He seemed to sink lower into the bed, slumping forward a bit and wrapping his arms around himself. It took several moments before he could continue.

"It was Fanny Little who kept me from running in after her. I don't really remember running toward the flames, but she was suddenly there, in front of me, clutching me to her as I'd seen her do with her own from time to time. She was visiting her sister who lived near to my mother and me. As I fought her and screamed at everyone to save my mother, the door opened…or maybe it just burned away, I don't know. The next thing I saw was my mother, aflame and unrecognizable. She was burning and she stumbled from the house, screaming…or maybe that was me…I don't know. I don't know. I can't…I can't remember…" he seemed troubled by that, but before Robin could say anything, he continued. "I almost broke away from Fanny then, but she tightened her grip and swept me aside so I couldn't see anymore.

"I spent that night with her at her sister's house. The next day, she was returning to her own village, and she insisted I go with her. It was closer to Sherwood than where I'd lived with mum and closer to Locksley Castle as well. I stayed with Fanny a few days, but I felt I was imposing. She had children of her own to care for, and one on the way, so I left. I started to do odd jobs, to steal food if I had to, to hunt in Sherwood Forest. I did whatever I could to survive, but I wouldn't stay too long in one place. I wouldn't stay too close to people. I…was afraid of them. All of them.

"One day, I was about fifteen, I saw Lord Locksley's carriage heading toward London. I started to follow it. I don't know what I was thinking except maybe that this was my father…and I was so alone. After a mile or so, I saw the carriage had stopped. I suppose they'd been on a long journey or something and they wanted to stretch their legs. I wasn't sure which of them was my father, but I saw one of them drop something as he climbed aboard again. When I reached the spot where it had fallen, I saw it was a medallion. I picked it up and looked at it."

Will's eyes were drawn to the medallion that hung around Robin's neck. He put out a hand and ghosted his fingers along it for a moment. Robin knew then that he had indeed seen their father. Had he not taken Will in? His head swam. He'd been sure his father would have cared for Will if he had known about him. He swallowed thickly and waited fro Will to continue.

Will drew back his hand suddenly as though realizing where he was and what he was doing. He cleared his throat and started again. "I was thinking only that I could return it and maybe get a reward for it. I hadn't eaten in days, so to me a loaf of bread would have been ample reward.

"I kept following the carriage, and as I did I imagined how grateful he might be for his returned property. I imagined I might be able to tell him who I was. Then I imagined what food he might offer me, and how warm a bed in a Lord's castle might be. I was so lost in imagining, I didn't realize the carriage had stopped a short distance ahead.

"I stopped walking. A man who rode on top of the carriage next to the driver leaped down and began to walk over to me. I took a step or two backwards, but then I stopped and waited. When he reached me, he asked why I was following them. I grinned like an idiot, and held out the medallion.

"I wanted…' I began to explain, but he didn't permit me to finish. He called me a thief and yelled at the carriage to go. It took off at once, the driver not sparing the horses. I was confused and tried again to explain, but the man snatched the medallion from me and drew his knife. I drew my own from my boot. It wasn't as fine as his, but I knew how to use it.

"He was at least twice my size and I hadn't eaten in days, so I didn't put up as much of a fight as I'd imagined I would. I tried to stay out of his range, and I told him he was wrong. I explained I'd found the medallion and wanted to return it. He laughed and said that didn't matter in the least. He said the world was better off rid of a thieving peasant whatever my intentions had been. He said Lord Locksley had often expressed such an opinion himself, and had even given him orders to 'dispatch' the ragged thief and beggar as quickly as possible.

"No, Will!" Robin interrupted his brother. "Don't believe that. My father never would say such a thing. He valued life and he never counted a man's worth by the amount of money he had in his pocket."

Will swallowed and continued his story, and Robin wondered if his brother believed a word he'd just said.

"I was shocked. I'd deluded myself into believing he might be glad to find me…that a son would be welcome in his home if he just knew who I was. I slashed out with my own knife then, rage consuming me. It was the only opening he needed. I was off balance. I was a little lightheaded, and of course, he was by far the better fighter. He slashed my arm, and I dropped my own knife and fell to the ground desperate to retrieve it. He kicked me, his boot connecting with my stomach over and over.

"I thought I was about to die, but suddenly, I wasn't alone. Men surrounded us, their weapons pointed at him. John Little stepped forward, demanding a tax from the man. The man tried to offer the medallion and hide his own things, but John was shrewd and knew what he was doing. John took the man's rings, and a small bag of gold. He tossed the medallion at the man in contempt and told him he wouldn't take the belongings of one man from another in fair payment of taxes, but to tell the Lord of the Manor that if he crossed Sherwood once again, he had better be prepared to part with it. Then he beat the man soundly for what he'd done to me.

"The man walked…or rather he limped away. John and his men helped me to their camp. I've been with them ever since."

Robin sat in stunned silence. It was quite a story, and though he had no idea what he'd expected to hear from his brother, it hadn't been that. He exhaled slowly and brought a hand to ruffle his brother's hair. So precious Will had become to him, and to learn that he had caused a lifetime of suffering by his petulant, selfish, unthinking demands on his father shamed him. He was not worthy of this man's loyalty let alone his brotherly affection. He shook his head in shame.

"Will, I'm sorry."

Will smiled through tears he would not shed. "You weren't there."

"No," Robin conceded, "but I was the cause of this. It wasn't your fault, Will. It was mine. I did this to you as sure as if I'd burned the house and beat you myself. I want to make it up to you, but even if I give you my life I don't think it would be adequate compensation."

Will shook his head. "No, Robin, I don't want your life. I don't want to kill you." Robin could see realization hit him. "I don't think I ever wanted that. I…I just want…" He faltered and looked Robin in the eye. "You told Essex we were brothers. You can still take that back. You can tell him you were mistaken…let him think I tricked you. You don't have to acknowledge me in front of your peers…"

Robin wondered why Will was going on about this when it suddenly hit him. Will was still unsure of his standing in Robin's life. He couldn't blame him. He'd been through a lot, and Robin didn't know most of it. There were entire years unaccounted for in the brief retelling he'd just heard. What else, he wondered, had Will been through?

He got up from the chair and sat beside his brother. He watched one tear slip down Will's face and caught his brother as he closed the distance between them and Will was in his arms sobbing into his chest.

He waited until Will had cried himself out, which didn't take long. He was exhausted and embarrassed and no doubt feeling a bit vulnerable and overwhelmed.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Robin was hugging him.

Will Scarlett was grateful for the darkness of the room. It hid his face, the tears he could not stop, and the flush to his cheeks. He had never spoken so long in his life and certainly had never told anyone so much about himself.

The silence was almost embarrassing. The older man sat there in apparent stunned silence. "Now you know more about me than even my mother knew." He confessed the point in a whisper, afraid to look at Robin directly.

When no words seemed forthcoming, Will felt the anxiety deep within him. It was like a cold, heavy ball in the center of his stomach. It began to grow making him feel sick. He had shared too much too quickly. Robin wanted to leave him and didn't know how. Robin hated him. Robin was embarrassed by his very existence…"Say something." Will pleaded softly, his voice muffled because he was speaking directly into Robin's shoulder.

"Will, you are my brother, and I have every intention of telling the world. When Marian reaches King Richard, when all of the Sherwood outlaws are finally pardoned, I intend to petition the King to name you legal heir to half my father's possessions. The land, title, castle—such as it is—everything that remains including his good name—will belong to you as much as to me. We are brothers, Will, and I mean to make you understand how important that is to me."

Will blinked in surprise. "But…after what I've told you…about my mother and what she did, what she became…you don't know how I lived after she d-died."

"I'll know when and if you choose to tell me, Will. As for your mother, she did what she had to do to care for you, and I will only ever be grateful to her for doing it, and if she were here I would beg her pardon for causing her so much pain and heartache." He held onto Will, waiting as Will's eyes again searched his own for the truth of what he said

"Why?" Will asked, his skeptical nature unable to keep the question at bay.

"What?" Robin asked, nonplussed.

"Why do you believe me? No one ever believes me. You didn't at first. In Sherwood, you said I was lying…but then you stopped…and embraced me. Why? What changed?"

Robin smiled. "You are an astonishing man, Will Scarlett! Even when things go in your favor, you distrust them!"

"I have had good reason."

The simple words wiped the smile from Robin's face, and Will almost regretted them, but the truth was he wasn't entirely sure of himself where Robin was concerned. When Robin had declared his devotion so completely in front of the Duke of Essex…

_You will have to go through me to get to my brother, Your Grace._

He had been beyond surprised. Robin had been concerned for his welfare almost since the moment Will had told him of their relationship in Sherwood. It had seemed genuine, his telling Will he couldn't cut their men down from the scaffolding where they were to hang because it was 'too dangerous,' but Will was accustomed to being lied to, to being disbelieved, to being on his own. He had hoped, oh how he had hoped, but he hadn't been entirely convinced that there wasn't some ulterior motive. He had held back. He had not spoken to Robin of anything important or personal, and had not expected Robin to confide in him. When The Duke had misunderstood Robin's words, expecting that he was using the term brother loosely, he had expected Robin to think better of his admission and deny the kinship.

_He is the son of my father and the only blood relation I have left in the world. I value his life more than my own, and I will not let you have it._

His words had made Will tremble. His knees had almost given out, and he had clutched at Robin half to keep himself upright and half as a feeble attempt to stop him, to make him see that he was ruining his reputation and perhaps his life in front of a man who would be sure he would be unable to deny what he'd said.

"Will," Robin's soft voice broke his reverie and Will turned to face the older man. "I know you have had reason to distrust people…even me…in the past. I wish I had known about you…though I don't know what I would have done if I'd have learned that your mother was pregnant when I was 12. I allowed my anger and my grief over my mother's death to give me license to accuse my father of betrayal, but it was I who betrayed him. I didn't understand his grief, his need for a woman in his life. I lashed out at him and it nearly destroyed him. He never would have left your mother if he had known of your existence. I am sure of that. My…_Our_ father was an honorable man, Will Scarlett, and he would be both proud of the man you have become and saddened that he did not have the chance to make your life easier."

Will sensed the regret in his voice, and was about to say something, anything…when Robin swallowed twice and spoke again, the regret gone and replaced by certainty. "I will make your life easier. I will be sure that any opportunity that can be afforded you because of the name of Locksley will be yours…"

Will smiled, "As soon as King Richard pardons us." 

Robin laughed. "Yes, as soon as King Richard pardons us."

A decision made, Will leaned closer to Robin, for the first time initiating a hug on his own. When he spoke it was a whisper. "I will choose to believe in you, Robin of Locksley."

In his heart, Will only hoped he would be able to put aside his cynicism and distrust. He still felt as though he were waiting for some hidden secret, some lie to be uncovered, or some truth to come to light. He swallowed those bitter expectations and hoped as he'd never hoped before that he was wrong.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

The Duke of Essex rode with his small entourage but he saw little of the countryside. He was angered over what had happened at Lady Marian's estate, and he seethed as it played through his mind again and again. He had not remembered the boy until long after they'd ridden away from the estate, but something about him had triggered a vague recollection, and he'd worried at it and stewed over it until he remembered. Will Scarlett.

The son of the tramp he'd used to his own advantage all those years ago…the one who had dared to come to him demanding money to pay extra for her favors just because her whelp of a son was sick!

He had not remembered the fire, the woman or the boy until now. It had been so inconsequential a series of events for him.

That the boy had lived at all amazed him. That he had claimed to be the son of Lord Locksley was too bizarre to be believed. Less so that Robin of Locksley believed him and embraced him as a brother. He was sure it was a scam. The boy thief was trying to get something from Locksley no doubt, preying on the losses and pretending to be a long lost brother. Locksley would be robbed or killed at the very least.

That didn't worry him. If the fool believed this sort of lie, his life was forfeit. What did bother him was that this boy could tell tales. He could spread the story of his mother's death and there were always those who would believe. He would not have his name sullied like that. True or not, the story would not become common knowledge. He would not permit it.

As he rode, he began to formulate a plan to shut the boy up permanently.

To Be Continued

Please, please read and review.


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: Thanks so much for your patience and your kind reviews. I'm glad to learn that people are reading and enjoying my story. Read on and don't forget to let me know what you think!

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

**The Long Road Home by Ecri**

**Part 7: Truth and Lies**

John and the men he'd taken with him into Sherwood Forest had returned to Marian's home with better news that Azeem had imagined.

After much discussion and debate, they all agreed to salvage what was still useful and to find a new site for their settlement. None of them were willing to resettle closer to Nottingham or to return to the village they'd abandoned for the welcoming anonymity of Sherwood Forest until they learned how things would go with whoever took the Sheriff's place. With no formal pardons, they were outlaws and would remain so until either the new, as yet unnamed sheriff, pardoned them or until King Richard returned and could be persuaded to set things right. For now, the power struggle among the local and not so local lords with whom the Sheriff had dealt was keeping anyone from wondering what had happened to Robin and his men.

They would use this time to their advantage. Azeem was pleased that they had all agreed not to set up their robbery schemes unless the Sheriff's replacement was as bad or worse than he was. If they could live freely and support themselves without resorting to antagonizing the new man in charge, they would. 

Azeem had found himself becoming the man they turned to when cuts, scrapes and more serious accidents happened. Since he'd helped Fanny deliver her baby and had cared for Will's more prolonged recovery, he had been readily accepted even by those, such as the Friar, who had been reluctant to see him as civilized.

He laughed at the absurdity of it. His own people were guilty of such thinking as well, so he knew it was human nature and not unique to the English. Courage in the face of adversity was not unique to his own people, either. The Christian had said that the Crusades had taught him that no one fights harder than the man who fights to protect his home, and these English had fought and lost twice over, once when they abandoned their village to seek the shelter of Sherwood's trees and now after Celts had burned those trees. Now, they were faced with rebuilding their homes yet again.

Rebuilding the community was no easy task. They tried to make things safer, but fire was still a concern. When you lived amongst trees, a conflagration was perhaps the scariest thing to contemplate. Azeem was no exception. The sight of those blazing arrows aimed at the trees that day had chilled his heart like the damnable English weather had not.

His own country was much different. Apart from being warmer, and Azeem missed the warmth of his own country's sun more than he could have imagined, there were so many differences. He tried not to dwell on them as he knew it would be a long time before he saw the land of his birth again.

True, he had fulfilled his vow. He had known when he'd killed the Sheriff's witch that this was the person Allah had sent him to protect the Christian from. The witch had possessed an evil about her, a vibrating, pulsing malevolence that was surely demonic in nature. He had met evil men, evil women in his life, and none had seemed remotely like this foul creature.

Even with that success, having saved the Christian from that demon, he could see there was much more to be accomplished. The Christian and his brother were making progress, but he could see more hurt in their eyes than either seemed willing—or likely, knowing what he did of their characters—to reconcile. The Christian carried guilt with him as though it were attached to his arms, and the Young Christian—Azeem shook his head—he had grown up unwilling to trust or to believe in anyone let alone in himself. Allah had created these men with the capacity for infinite love and they could not see it. Guilt, doubt, distrust, they would never see what joys Allah would provide for them if they did not release these burdens. Azeem meant to help them while they were still capable of recognizing that they were indeed family.

He kept a close eye on the boy's healing wounds, and, truth be told, he was pleased with his progress. The Christian had become overprotective again, but that was understandable. In time, he would learn to let go.

This fine morning was a case in point. The Christian had finally accepted that his brother was well enough to assist in the rebuilding of their homes. Though he'd permitted his brother to help, he hovered nearby, and each time Will Scarlett took a break or seemed to struggle with anything Robin Hood stood nearby offering assistance. Azeem didn't know how the younger man had managed to contain his infamous anger in the face of it, but by the time the boy was preparing to scream, Robin must have seen the exasperation on his brother's face. He begged pardon, to everyone's astonishment, and made himself scarce so that he would not irritate the young man again.

The rebuilding was going much better than they'd imagined, and little improvements had already been adopted. Storage areas for food and supplies were common now, but each home now reflected a bit of its inhabitant's character. He himself had a fine home set with a platform facing east so that he would always be able to heed the rules Allah had set for him and his people.

Azeem was brought out of his admiration for the new homes when he saw Fanny Little carrying some firewood. He moved to her side to relieve her of the burden. "I would be happy to help," he told her as he did.

She laughed. "I'm used to it, but I won't turn you down!" She looked up at him. "I've been meaning to ask you…is there some way we can thank you? You've done so much for all of us, and we just take you for granted." As they reached her home, she rubbed at her belly. "If you hadn't helped me, I wouldn't be here now, nor would my son."

Azeem put down the wood and placed his hand on hers. "I am an instrument of Allah's will. It was he who saved your baby. It is all part of his plan."

"Well, all right, but can't it be part of his plan for me to be grateful to you? You could come to eat share my family's evening meal." There was a hint of fear, and Azeem could see she was concerned about upsetting him by discussing his beliefs.

He nodded. "I had not considered it, but, if that is what you feel, than certainly Allah is trying to teach me something."

"What would that be?"

"To reply to your gratitude. You are welcome, Lady, and I am pleased to be of service to you and yours." He laughed and accepted her invitation to dine with her and her family that evening.

It was late when the dinner at the Little's was finished. Azeem had rarely enjoyed a meal more, though it was the friendly conversation more than the strange English cuisine that appealed to him. As he strolled through the quiet camp towards his own home, he saw movement by the center campfire. The plan to maintain lookouts through the night had seemed to demand a fire be kept burning through the night for warmth and for light.

Azeem was surprised to find the Scarlett sitting silently at the fireside.

"Are you well, Young Christian?" Azeem asked.

Will nodded. "Fine, thanks."

Azeem could tell from the tone that something troubled the young man, so he sat. He talked about the dinner he'd just enjoyed, shared a few stories John Little had told him, and, when Will did no more than smile, he finally spoke.

"You say you are well, but you do not seem so. If it is not your wounds that trouble you, tell me what does. If you cannot tell me, tell your brother."

Will shook his head. "I'm fine."

"So you say," Azeem replied. He stared at the younger man until the silence told him Azeem was not going to go, and then he tossed a stick into the flame and watched it burn. Something Azeem had never seen him do. Usually the young man did not stare at flame or even casually glance in the direction of fire. He did not know why, nor did he pry.

In time, the boy spoke.

"You came through a war, Azeem. Were you ever…afraid."

"Many times."

"Have you ever been afraid of something you probably shouldn't be?"

"I have found that each man's fears are his own. I may fear things that you find commonplace and easy to handle, while your fears may seem as foreign to me as your strange tongue and the foods you eat." He leaned in closer to the boy. "What troubles you my friend?"

Will looked down at the ground between his feet. He was silent so long, Azeem was not sure he would answer. When he did, he spoke so softly that Azeem almost did not hear him.

"Robin. I'm afraid of Robin."

Azeem was startled and could not hide it. "He is your brother. There is nothing to fear. He would not hurt you."

Will shook his head. "That's not it. Not exactly, anyway. I mean, he wouldn't hurt me physically." The boy rubbed at his hand and Azeem saw the scarred mark where Robin's arrow had once protruded. "Not anymore," he amended. Azeem shook his head. The Christian was stubborn and temperamental, and the whim of a moment could well have cost him dearly. "But…Azeem…" Will Scarlett sighed and the weight of it echoed the heavy thoughts he shared. "I'm so tired." He choked back a sob, and tried to hide his own surprise at the depths of his fatigue. "I think that's why I hated him so much. At the river, when he fell in and John demanded taxes of him…when he told us his name, I _hated_ him so much." The word, when he said it was infused with hatred. It dripped from each syllable.

Azeem had never heard it said so vehemently, and he was taken aback that the hatred had run so deep.

"But I was suddenly so tired. I've been on my own a long time. I was ten when my mum died."

Azeem had not known how young the boy had been when left alone in the world. It had to have been hard. He'd known boys in his homeland in similar circumstances and they were hard and uncaring. They did not have the compassion or the thirst for justice Will Scarlett had.

Will continued. "I had tried to find my…our…father when I was a child. When that didn't work, I'd tried to avoid Robin…and suddenly there he was invading my home and standing there…two servants, fine weapons…a medallion that looked like it was worth more money than I've ever seen in my life…" He shook his head unable to continue the litany that he must have gone over a thousand times in his head.

"He came to my home. He met the people I'd known most of my life, and suddenly _I _was the one no one trusted." He sighed. "I suppose that's my own fault, but ever since then, I kept expecting him to send me away. So the other day, when he said…" his voice faltered, but itt was then that Azeem understood.

He had found the brothers speaking to each other last a few days ago. He'd stayed far enough away not to hear the conversation believing they needed privacy to begin to forge their relationship. He had seen the exchange begin with Robin saying something mildly, tentatively, and then Will had exploded up from his seat by the fire and thrown some insults. Robin had risen and walked dejectedly away, but Azeem had seen the sudden look of fear on Will's face.

"When he walked away from the fire…" Azeem prompted.

Will's head hung down, but Azeem could see that he was struggling against his own demons to be able to speak at all.

"I have not been on certain ground where he is concerned. I have not been on certain ground with _anyone_ since I met him." Will's head snapped up and his eyes, filled with equal parts anger and fear stunned the Moor. "I thought Robin was asking me to _leave_. He says he wasn't…that I misunderstood. What if I've chased him away? What if he wants nothing to do with me now that I've misunderstood again…I want to tell him that I'm sorry. It's not him. It's me. I don't…" He shook his head searching for the words that would explain. "I don't…" He ran trembling hands through his hair desperate to find words that would not come. "I can't…I'm so sorry…"

Will stood and Azeem knew he was about to run. It's what he did. It was how he'd survived and how he'd gotten through years living first on his own and then with the other thieves in the heart of Sherwood Forest.

He took one or two steps, but Azeem's hand on his arm stopped him. He tried to shrug it off, but the Moor's grip was too strong.

"You must speak to him, Young Christian. Make him see that this is hard for you. Believe it or not, it is hard for him as well."

"How can he forgive me?" Will demanded.

"Forgive you for what?" Azeem asked.

"For always assuming the worst of him."

Azeem shrugged. "You have had good reason. The Christian understands that." He put a hand around the boy's shoulders. "You should go to him. He cannot understand you if you do not explain yourself."

Will nodded. "You're a good friend, Azeem. I don't know what Robin did to deserve you, but I'm sure I don't deserve you."

"Allah knows a man's worth better than the man himself. He has sent me to you both for a reason, and I do not argue Allah's plans." He smiled and pointed Will in the direction of his brother's home. "Go now," he advised.

Will nodded and headed off in that direction, calling softly to Robin as he entered. Azeem heard him say they had to talk and he smiled. _Allah be praised_, he thought.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Lady Marian stared out of her window hoping that Robin would get her message. She didn't really know how she was going to tell him what she had to tell him, but she knew that she would have to insist he be reasonable. She had noticed how quickly he jumped to conclusions since his return from abroad, and she wanted him to be open minded.

She stopped her thoughts as she saw his horse approaching. She rushed out of her rooms, through the corridors, and down the stairs to the courtyard. She wanted to be sure he heard this from her.

"Robin!" She greeted him and took the arm he offered her as they walked back inside. She didn't encourage any small talk until they were safely behind the closed doors of her brother's study.

"Robin, thank you for coming."

Robin frowned. "That's a bit formal. Has something happened? Have you heard from King Richard?"

She shook her head, impatient with his questions. "No, nothing to do with that. Robin, I've had a visitor. It was a night or two ago. He came looking for someone…he…" she faltered, still unsure how best to tell him.

"Marian, what is it? Why do you hesitate?"

"I know you, Robin, and I know how you will react. I see only two ways you _could _react, and neither of them is good." Marian turned away and sat on a high backed, uncomfortable looking chair beside her brother's desk.

"It can't be that bad."

She turned to face him. "The man who came was looking for one of your men. He had a wanted poster…a copy of the one listing some of the men known to be your associates. He claimed to be a long lost relative…"

Robin smiled. "Then this is good news! A missing relative! Who was it?"

"Robin, he said he was certain his son was working with you."

"Who is it? Bull? John?"

Marian shook her head. "Will."

Robin laughed. "No…" he stopped. The smile fell from his face when he saw that she was serious. "So what you're saying is that Will has lied to me?" He shook his head. "No, that's not possible."

Marian could see uncertainty in his eyes for a moment, but when the moment was gone, his eyes were hard, cold, and unreadable.

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that a man has come forward who claims to be Will's father. He could be the one lying."

"To what purpose? He cannot be after Will's money, for he has nothing."

"Yes, but he could think to get something from you." Marian suggested.

"What could he possibly want from an outlaw?" He shook his head. "The man is mistaken or else he has some nefarious reason for what he's saying. I don't want Will to hear of this. He's having a hard enough time adjusting."

She stepped closer to him. She knew what Will meant to him. He had latched onto the idea of having a brother a bit quickly, a bit ferociously, and more than a bit obsessively. He had seemed to want nothing more than to get to know Will Scarlett, and had done a lot to help the younger man heal from his wounds…both the physical ones recently sustained and the emotional ones from a lifetime on the edge. It would take a long time, she knew, for Will to trust Robin completely, but she could see that they had both taken the first tentative steps toward that end. She was glad that Robin disregarded the claim. If Robin began now to distrust Will, she wasn't certain how Will would handle that sort of a setback in their relationship. He was tough in many ways, but oddly enough, he was also incredibly fragile.

An idea came to her, but she wasn't sure if it were something they should try or if she should be ashamed of herself for coming up with it. "Perhaps the only way is to speak to the man yourself…you are an excellent judge of character…and then to allow him to meet Will. If we watch Will for some reaction, we are sure to learn if he knows the man. Will is not exactly good at hiding his reactions."

Robin smiled. "No, that's true enough. Will Scarlett is an open book where his emotional state is concerned even when he won't discuss it."

Marian nodded trying to get past the foreboding that had suddenly sprung up deep inside her. She hoped she had not given Robin bad advice.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

It was an easy enough arrangement to make. Robin would meet this man at Marian's home and have him explain himself. He'd told Will only when he was about to leave. Their trust was tentative enough that if Will suspected Robin was keeping something from him, it might be difficult to rectify. Predictably, the news had kindled Will's rage to astonishing proportions.

In the end, Robin had agreed to allow Will to be present when the man arrived. He'd be in the next room with Azeem. The Moor was the only one Robin thought Will might listen to if his anger were sufficiently stoked.

Now that the man had arrived, Robin found he was as impatient as Will Scarlett to prove the man a liar and get back to Sherwood.

He waited in the dining hall while Marian went to greet the man and lead him inside. Will and Azeem were secreted behind a door used by servants in better days as a shortcut to the kitchens—useful when a large party was enjoying Marian's father's hospitality. Robin knew Will was beside himself. It had taken all of Robin's powers of persuasion to explain that he did not believe the stranger's claim, but wanted only to discover the man's purpose. Will had been certain that everything was about to crash down around his ears, and after his brother's tentative confession a few nights ago that he was afraid that Robin would one day tire of him, or send him away, or decide that he had been lying all along, Robin had been hard pressed to convince his brother otherwise.

Just as Marian returned to the room with the man in tow, Robin could hear Azeem whispering in an attempt to calm Will down. He coughed loudly both to cover the noise and to alert Azeem and Will to the man's arrival.

The man seemed unsure of himself. He wore ill-fitting clothes with the well-worn appearance that any peasant's garb might have, but there was something odd about them, as though the man wasn't sure of himself in them. His eyes darted quickly around the room and came to rest on Robin. He smiled tentatively.

Stepping towards the man, Robin introduced himself. "I'm Robin of Locksley. The Lady Marian tells me you are related to one of my men."

The man nodded. "I am. My name is Nigel Pierce. Will Scarlett is my son."

"Will doesn't talk much about himself or his family." Robin said. "When did he last see you?"

"Oh, well," the man said, shifting from foot to foot and looking more than a little uncomfortable. "It's been a while." He forced a chuckle. "I won't claim to be the best father. Lord knows I let 'im and 'is mother down often enough."

Robin nodded. "So what made you want to contact him now?"

The man shrugged. "I suppose I've put off seein' 'im long enough. I know 'e's grown by now, and I know 'e likely 'as no need for me, but a man reaches an age where 'e needs to be with family. I s'pose my time 'as come."

"Mr. Pierce, have a seat and tell me of the last time you saw your son." Robin gestured to the table that stood in the center of the room. He noted the man's hesitation and uncertainty, but he didn't remark on it or try to alleviate it. He took a seat and Lady Marian took one beside him. Nigel Pierce sat stiffly as though not sure why he was there. Sure enough, he said as much a moment later.

"I'll be honest, Robin 'ood, I expected to see my son today. Is he here?"

Robin just smiled. "I'm a bit protective of my men." _More so of my brother, _he thought. "I want to get to know you. Whether you are or aren't his father is irrelevant if I think you mean him harm."

The man looked startled, shocked, and he didn't hide it. "Now, see 'ere! I'm Will Scarlett's father! You can't keep me from seein' my son!"

"Tell me when you last saw him. How old was he?" Robin insisted.

"I dunno…maybe about…twelve. I was visitin' from London. I'd 'ad a job there, and when it ended, I came through Nottingham to give 'im and 'is mum a bit of money." He smiled a crooked smile. "I wasn't the best father, like I said, but I did provide for them when I could." He leaned closer to Robin as though sharing a confidence. "Truth is, I regret not bein' around. Last time I saw 'im, 'e'd started tellin' tales. Lies dripped off 'is tongue like water down a falls." He laughed. "I remember 'is mum tellin' me e'd taken to tellin' people all sorts of stories. But surely this can wait. I want to meet my son."

Robin considered the man's words as well as his appearance and demeanor. He knew the man was lying, but he wasn't lying very well. Will's mother had died when Will was ten, so there was no way the man had given her money when her son was twelve, but that wasn't all.

Robin knew enough about Will to know he resented people questioning his veracity. He'd wondered that Will had been able to lie to the Sheriff and claim he'd seen Robin's grave when he knew perfectly well that Robin was nearby, armed, and planning a rescue. Will's stutter when he'd done it had made him sure the Sheriff wouldn't buy it, but Marian swore to him that, from where she stood, the words had been very convincing.

He though he heard a slight scuffle behind the nearby door, so again he cleared his throat.

"Told tales? What sort of tales?" He asked the man, sure that he didn't have much time before Will burst from behind the door threatening to cut the man's lying tongue from his head.

The man laughed as though he had a good joke to share. "Oh, once 'e told a neighbor I was off fightin' the Crusades! Once, 'e even 'ad a nobleman believin' that e' was the man's son!"

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but Will burst through the door at that moment, anger and shouts. _Piss and wind_.

"Liar!" Will screamed. "I'll cut your lying tongue from your head!" With those words, and with Azeem trying in vain to catch the young man's arm, he threw himself at the polished table and slid on his belly coming to a stop with his knife inches from the man's throat. "Tell Robin the truth!"

The man, too startled to run and too afraid of the knife hovering at his throat, moved his eyes in Robin's direction. "What…who is this?"

Robin raised an eyebrow and rose from his seat. He moved around the table and stood by Nigel facing him. "This? Why, Nigel! Don't you recognize your son?"

Nigel inhaled. "Why…sure…course I do! Will Scarlett! It's been…"

Will cut him off, his face contorted with rage, his eyes blazing a fury that made Robin glad he'd never seen that much of it directed at him. What Will had cast in his direction had been quite enough.

"Tell us why you're lying, and _maybe_ Robin can convince me not to carve out your tongue." Whether it was the fierce conviction behind the words or the undeniable rage twisting Will's features, the man broke.

"I'm…I'm not…I don't know the boy." He glanced at Robin. "I made it up. I'm not his father."

"Will wonders never cease?" Robin asked, noting the change in the man's speech. "Why did you make it up?"

"I…thought there might be a way to get some cash from you…or something…being related to one of your men, maybe you'd take pity on me and let me have something…help me set up some sort of business. I'm…broke. I've lost everything…" He began to tremble. "I'd heard tell of the boy and that you'd become fond of him. There are tales that you blew up the Sheriff's castle when the Sheriff threatened to kill him. I thought I could use that."

Will just looked angrier with each passing word. "He's still lying," he told Robin.

Robin nodded. "I know."

"Just a minute!" the man declared. "I admit I had an angle, but this ruffian has no right…"

Robin snorted as Will's free hand shot out to punch the man in the face. His head smacked back against the back of the chair and forward again into Will's upraised fist a second time. Will then grabbed a hold of the man's hair and moved his knife closer to its target.

"Give me a reason." Will swore at the man, his low voice all the more menacing for it.

"Will," Robin said and Will froze, the anger in his eyes shifting as he turned to look Robin in the eye.

"_Robin_," Will replied, his exasperation obvious.

"Please, Will. He won't get away with it. Let him go."

Will hesitated, but only for a moment. He looked at Nigel Pierce and spat in his eye before releasing him and slipping his knife into its sheath in his boot.

As Will moved away, Azeem took his place. Towering over the still seated man, he waited fro Robin's order.

"Now, Mr. Pierce, tell us the truth. Or shall I tell you what I already know just by speaking to you?" When the man gave him a look full of skepticism, he laughed and began to tell the tale as he understood it. "You came looking for something, but not necessarily for yourself. You lost your accent when you told us you were trying to get something from me, so that's probably only a half-truth. Your hands…beneath the obvious dirt, are not the hands of a farmer or of a laborer. Who are you? Or should I let Will carve that out of you along with your tongue?"

The man turned pleading eyes to Lady Marian. She merely smiled.

To Be Continued


	18. Chapter 18

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 8: Risks

Will had endured the lies the man was telling for as long as he could. He was amazed he'd been able to remain out of it so long, but then the man dared to say that Will was a habitual liar. He snapped. He could not risk Robin believing that. He could not stand by while this man tried to take away all he'd gained. He'd torn himself from Azeem's grip and thrown himself at the man.

Now that the man was finished with his story, Will stared at Robin wondering what he would make of the bizarre tale. A part of him wanted to hurt the man, and that scared him. When he'd heard himself threaten to cut the man's tongue out, his memory had flashed for a moment back to when the Sheriff had said as much to him. He'd almost dropped his knife. That he might be as mad as Nottingham was not a new notion. He'd often thought he might go mad from hunger or thirst, or even just from his overwhelming hatred and anger. It had been the same when he'd thrown a knife at Robin's back. That he'd done it at all had been reason enough to run. The arrow Robin had shot through his hand was shocking, terrifying really, and painful, but his shame that he'd let his emotions push him to hurt someone—even the, at the time, hated Locksley—had troubled him.

He'd tried to convince himself that he would only have hit the tree…that he'd never intended to hurt Robin, let alone kill him, but his anger, his rage and hatred…he could not deny any of them.

His desire now to hurt this man spreading falsehoods about him troubled him. It was a gnawing dread in his belly almost making him wish he could vomit it up just so he might feel better for a time. He'd always believed himself to be a good man pushed too far, someone who would steal for his supper or to aid a friend if need be, but who would never cross certain lines. He'd crossed one when he'd thrown that knife at Robin, he may have been about to cross one when he'd made a deal with Nottingham—he'd never be sure what (as Robin had asked) his intentions had been—and here he was about to grapple with the same line again. Perhaps he was an evil man after all.

He shook off the thoughts as Robin began to speak.

"So you were paid to tell us these tales. To what end?" Robin was using every bit of the power and command a Lord might, but he had yet to raise his voice.

The frightened man shook his head. "I don't know. I was paid to do this, and all I know is how it was explained to me. I get my money when I report back to him. He never explained why he wanted this done." He glanced from Robin to Azeem, to Marian and to Will before turning back to Robin and asking meekly, "Can I go now?"

Robin seemed to consider the words. "After you tell me who it was who paid you."

The man blanched. "I don't know who it was. I never heard his name."

Will could see the man was lying, but Robin's words brought him up short.

"Yes, I think we're done with you."

Will opened his mouth, "Robin?"

Robin continued as though Will hadn't spoken. "You go back to this man and tell him his plan failed."

The man nodded and stood, scurrying from the room before Lady Marian could offer to lead him to the entrance.

Will watched him go, his hands twitching and white-knuckled. He turned to Robin. "That's it? We've learned nothing. He was lying! He knows perfectly well who paid him."

Robin nodded and moved to Will's side. "Yes, he was, but I've got Bull and Much outside waiting to follow him. We'll find out where he's going." He put his hands on Will's shoulders. "We'll get to the bottom of this, Will, I promise you."

Will nodded sullenly.

Azeem came to stand by the brothers. "There's something you must consider, Christian. Someone is after one or both of you. If his first plan has failed, he may be willing to try again or to change his plan. You are both in danger. To keep you and the Young Christian safe, you must not wander off alone, either of you."

Robin nodded.

Will snapped. "What are you saying? We can't go anywhere? We can't go on hunts or…" he swallowed hard considering the implications. He was a solitary man by nature and by habit. He'd joined the group in Sherwood out of necessity, and he wouldn't have traded it for anything, but he always found ways to 'wander off' as Azeem had put it. He took long solitary walks into the forest and by the streams. He ran off when things happened that he couldn't face. Running through the forest, leaping over obstacles, weaving around trees, the act of running giving him, for a time, the illusion of freedom. He knew it was cowardly, but how would he cope if he could not be alone?

He turned away, hoping to compose himself, but he didn't need to. Lady Marian turned the conversation to more practical things.

"Robin, if you need to stay here…"

"No," Robin insisted.

"The walls are more easily defended…" Marian began, but this time, it wasn't Robin who turned her down. It was Will.

"Lady Marian, you've done more for us…well, more than I believed anyone of noble blood would ever do for a group of outlaws, but if we make a stand here, in your home, you'd be an outlaw as well. You'd have to leave here eventually, and with no nobles on our side, you wouldn't be likely to find King Richard." Will was suddenly aware of everyone staring at him. "What?" He demanded as he glanced from Azeem to Robin.

Robin smiled. "You don't usually speak so much, especially to her." He looked at Marian. "But, he's right, Marian," Robin said.

Marian shook her head. "But…how can you defend yourselves in Sherwood? You've barely rebuilt your homes…"

Azeem laughed. "But they are improved! We have made certain defenses. We will be safe enough!"

Will wanted to say more. He wanted to properly thank the Lady Marian for what she'd done, but his head was still spinning. To his way of thinking, nothing had truly been settled let alone discovered. Some nameless someone had tried to convince Robin that Will was a liar. Who would care enough about him to make that kind of effort? Unless the nobility objected to his claim to be Locksley's brother…even then, Will suspected they'd be more likely to hide behind the law. Trumped up charges against a known outlaw would be enough. He would then end up in prison whether Robin were pardoned or not.

His frustration was doubled by the thought that Robin would likely not allow Will out of his sight in the near future.

Troubled, his eyes never left the floor. The others spoke, but he didn't hear them. He knew they were waiting for Bull to return with some clue as to the identity of the man who was behind this. He didn't know how long he chased his own thoughts and fears around the dark recesses of his mind, but eventually he felt a light touch on his forearm. He looked up, startled, into Robin's concerned face. The concern rankled.

"I'm fine." He said it automatically, knowing that was what Robin would ask.

Robin's face betrayed his disbelief, and spurred Will to ask, "Do you believe me, Robin?" He barely kept the desperation from his voice and he cursed himself for it. "Do you doubt what I've told you about…my mother…" He couldn't make himself call Lord Locksley his father again until he was certain of Robin.

Robin nodded as though he'd expected the question. "I do, Will. There were many holes in the man's story, and there is nothing that can convince me that you aren't my father's son." He smiled. "Now that I know what to look for, what it was that bothered me about you when we first met is obvious. You have his eyes. You have some of his gestures…facial expressions…I see our father in you, Will Scarlett."

Tentatively, Will smiled, though he wasn't sure how he felt about that. He'd hated the man for so long that being compared to him even superficially, though he knew Robin meant it as reassurance, troubled him. In an odd way, though, he felt a burst of pride in knowing there was some basis for comparison. Perhaps, if they had met properly, his father might have been proud of him, or at least, possibly, he might have acknowledged him.

Conversation soon turned to other things and Will wandered away, hoping that, with Robin distracted by Marian, he might be able to wander off alone for a bit before his freedom became restricted. He hadn't gotten far before he realized that Azeem was following him.

He shook his head not sure if he should laugh or cry. "Leave me alone, Azeem."

Azeem did not reply, but did not stop following him either.

Once outside the castle, Will turned angry eyes to face the Moor. "I said leave me alone."

Azeem nodded. "I heard you, Young Christian."

This time Will laughed, his anger dissipated by the obvious gesture of friendship. "But you don't intend to do as I ask."

Azeem shook his head solemnly. "You are in danger, Young Christian, and I would not have any harm befall you."

Will nodded and turned, striding angrily towards the castle gates. "For Robin's sake."

Azeem moved to block Will's path. Frowning he stared at Will long enough to make the boy want to squirm though he held back. "No. For yours."

Will shook his head. "You don't know me. Robin doesn't even know me! Until a short time ago, he and I were enemies by any definition of the word. Why…why does he suddenly care so much? Why do you? Your vow was to protect _his_ life! Not mine! You have no obligation to look after me!"

Azeem looked into Will's eyes. "I cannot pretend I understand your homeland, Young Christian. Many of the things you, Robin and the others take for granted are things I cannot comprehend. I do know that Robin spoke of nothing but returning home the entire time that I have known him." He gestured then as though to indicate all of England. "It was not this land he spoke of, though he insists he missed this damp, wet, uncomfortable island." He shook his head as though that were the most difficult to believe. "No, Young Christian, he spoke of his father…of making up with him, of seeing his friends, resuming his role as his father's son and steward of the Locksley lands. He spoke of Duncan and of family." He put a hand on Will's shoulder. "That life, that family is gone, and it is what drove him to fight Nottingham. Then, out of the ashes of that life, he discovered he was _not _alone. That he _did _have a family. That he had wronged that family as much as he had wronged his father."

Azeem draped an arm around Will's shoulder and began to lead him away from the castle gates. "He learned much from the Crusades. Any man worth knowing learns much from war; that life is valuable in all its forms, that harsh words are able to destroy as much as any other weapon, though sometimes more slowly, with more subtlety." He looked Will in the eye once more. "He intends to make up to you for the role he played in…as you said…ruining your life."

Will was silent. He had never heard Azeem speak so long or so favorably of his brother. They often teased or became exasperated with each other, in a good-natured way, but this defense of Robin was not what he'd expected.

He let out a sigh and rubbed a hand over tired eyes. Then he looked Azeem in the eye. "It's…it's hard, Azeem. I have been alone for so long…I'm not used to someone caring so much. I'm not used to someone trying so hard to speak to me or to protect me. It's so hard to change now."

Azeem nodded. "You both have much to learn…of each other and of how to become brothers. It is a hard thing for a brotherless man to learn how to be a brother…how to have a brother. It is hard for him as well. You must find balance together. Allah in his infinite wisdom has given you to each other. There must be a reason for it, and you will learn that together."

Will nodded and, with a smile, returned to the dining room to find his brother. Azeem followed closely behind.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

In time, like in Sherwood resumed its natural pace. Robin had learned to fill his time with things other than planning campaigns against Nottingham and turned his excess energy toward protecting his family. Eventually, he took the opportunity to speak to Fanny about things he was sure she would know. With the children playing happily with friends, and John seeing to repairs to their home's roof, Robin and Fanny sat and spoke. He had no other way to learn of his brother's life.

"Did he live with you?" Robin asked. "I mean after his mother died…"

She shook her head. "No, I expected he would move in with us. I'd have been happy to have him, but Will…" she laughed. "Well, you know how stubborn he can be. He had decided that he would not be a burden to us. I had one child already and one on the way."

"How did he survive?" Robin was afraid of the answer, but he had to know as much about Will as he could.

Fanny frowned. "Why do you want to know, Robin? You've found each other now. Surely digging up the past won't make any difference!"

Robin took Fanny's hand. "I caused this. It's my fault. How can I make it right if I don't know what he's suffered?"

She put a hand to his cheek and offered a sad smile. "All you need to know is that he suffered. If he wants you to know any more than that, he will tell you. Ask him. If he understands how important it to you, he'll give you what you need."

Above them, on the roof, John cleared his throat. "Fanny, maybe it's better you tell him what you can."

"Why, John?" She asked her husband as she looked up at him.

John shrugged and made his way down to the pair. "I'm not sure Will would choose to speak about himself. You know what he's like."

She smiled. "Well, even if I do tell him what I know, I don't know everything. He didn't stay with us very often."

"Where did he stay?" Robin asked, not liking the idea of a ten-year-old Will sleeping rough in the dead of an English winter.

Fanny shrugged. "I don't know where he went _every_ time he wasn't with us. He did odd jobs, but sometimes he didn't get paid what he was promised. He slept in barns sometimes, until someone in the next town caught him sleeping in his barn one morning and gave him a beating."

Robin winced, but didn't comment.

John came down from the roof to join them and added to his wife's description of Will's early life. "Before Will joined us in Sherwood, he'd spent a lot of years on his own. He'd stay with us when Fanny was able to force the issue, but…" he looked at Robin from the corner of his eye. "Well, he's a slippery one when he wants to be. He was most likely to stay with us when it snowed or rained. He's a scrawny thing even now, and it seemed he was always cold. Fanny had a devil of a time keeping him warm and fed.

"In the spring and summer, Will Scarlett exploded across Nottingham and the surrounding villages like a caged animal set loose. He'd wander near and far trying to make enough money to support himself. More than once, we found a bit of coin on our doorstep and knew he'd left it…sorta to pay his way. We never got him to admit it."

Robin nodded. Somehow this was an easy thing to imagine Will doing.

"His life was rough, Rob, and he's the only one that knows the half of it." John put an arm around Fanny. "We'd have done more for him if he'd allowed it, but I think he always ran off for fear we'd eventually run him off anyway."

Fanny nodded. "His way, he was fairly sure we'd welcome him back."

Robin thanked them. "I appreciate you telling me what you know, and I appreciate even more that you tried to look after him." He stood to leave. "If you can ever persuade him to confide in me, I'd be more grateful than you can imagine."

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Robin tried to keep a close eye on Will after that, partially because of what John had told him, and partially because of what Azeem had said. If Azeem were right, and he usually was, there would be another attempt on him or on Will. If he could find out who was behind it all, he might be able to take a guess as to what to expect at the least or confront the man and put an end to it all, which was his preference. He found that he wanted nothing beyond keeping Will safe.

The more time passed, the more he began to believe that they were indeed safe.

He'd hovered near Will whenever he was able, and if he weren't, either Azeem or John were always available to do it for him. Robin had even developed an ability to know when Will was about to bolt—to run off to be alone. More than once, just when Will took on that look in his eye that telegraphed the intent, Robin was able to catch him by the arm just as he was about to run, or else distract him with something until the urge passed. Will had reluctantly begun to seek Robin out if Robin were out of his sight when the need to run off came over him, sensing that Robin was right about the need for caution, and also as he'd confessed to Robin, hoping to break himself of a habit he considered cowardly.

"It's not cowardly, Will," Robin told him.

Will laughed hollowly. "It is. I know it is. I've been an outlaw too long. I've been running all my life."

"Anytime you ran, you had good reason." Robin insisted.

Will didn't respond. Instead he turned to Robin and asked again for stories. It had become a ritual with them. If Will had a particularly strong desire to run, or woke from a particularly haunting nightmare, he'd go to Robin and ask him to tell tales of when he was growing up in Locksley Castle. Somehow, hearing about Robin's life helped him, though Robin didn't understand it. He'd have thought it would be frustrating to hear what Robin's anger and selfishness had cost him, but instead, he seemed to listen to Robin's stories the way young children listened to fairy tales…projecting himself into the action, imagining himself being there. In a sense, Will had cast young Robin in the role of hero.

Robin didn't pretend to understand it. He sometimes doubted he'd ever understand Will, but he had promised himself that he would be there whenever his brother needed him and that he would never turn Will away.

As the weeks passed with no strange occurrences, the peace of Sherwood Forest, the lack of need to rob or hide from the Sheriff's men, and the absence of any threats relaxed the group. There was more laughing, more singing, fewer precautions taken to keep their location a secret.

Robin agreed to join a small hunting party one morning, and Will, at the behest of the younger Littles, had agreed to stay behind as part of the group that protected the settlement. The feeling of safety hadn't entirely driven away all memory of the Sheriff's men burning their homes. John also stayed behind planning to spend some time alone with Fanny since Will would in essence be looking after the children.

The hunting party was successful. They spent a day and a night out bringing down the game and securing it in a wagon so they could easily transport it. It wasn't until the next morning that Robin had cause to curse himself for a fool.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

The hunting party's absence left the encampment half-empty, and that half was mostly women, children, and older men. The shift in the population present made the laughter and songs of the children seem to echo and increase until the sound could not help but gladden every heart. Will had spent the bulk of the morning playing with the children, telling stories, chasing them around and allowing them to catch him or surprise him. He hadn't felt so at ease in a long time.

The peace was shattered when he heard a wailing cry. Turning and running in the direction of the sound, he found Fanny and John fussing over their youngest girl. She was three years old and had something of a crush on Will. She'd followed him around all morning, and Will, ever aware of her presence, had made sure to keep her safe. Now, however, she howled as she cradled her left arm awkwardly against her body.

Will walked up and took in the scene. "John! What do you need? Can I do anything?" Will asked.

"Would you get some water, Will? We need to rinse off the blood so we can see what she's done." Fanny asked.

Will rushed to do as she asked, his thoughts racing as he wondered what the girl had done in the short amount of time she'd been out of his sight.

Returning with a full bucket, he was shocked to see strangers. He slowed his steps and took in the unwelcome, heart-stopping sight of armed men within their camp. Swords and bows drawn, a dozen men aimed their weapons at the unarmed villagers.

Will caught sight of John, hand to head, blood running down his face. His breath caught in his throat as he clamped his mouth shut in an effort not to call out and bring attention to himself. He tried to think if it would be best to find Robin and the others and tell them to come back, but he thought that would take too long. They'd left hours ago, and he had no idea where they'd gone.

He was about to try to slip around the camp to see if he could gather enough people with enough weapons to make a difference when he heard the man who was obviously in charge begin to speak.

"For the last time where is the thief who calls himself Will Scarlett?" The man, his impatience showing itself in his gait, his tone and in his face glared at John. "I am not above hurting as many of you as I have to in order to get what I want."

Will could see an evil smile spread across the man's features. The man moved quicker than Will would have believed him capable and wrapped a hand around Wulf's throat. Fanny let out a startled squeak and John glared at the man.

"Let go of my son." The threat in the words would have been obvious even had John's eyes not promised the man infinite pain if his son were harmed.

"Oh, I will release him when I get what I want." He sighed as though weary of asking. "For the last time, where are Robin of Locksley and Will Scarlett?"

"Here." Will called out as he walked into the clearing.

Instantly, the armed men swiveled to train their arrows on Will. Will, having dropped the bucket of water, kept his arms out and half-raised so they could see he was not armed.

"I am Will Scarlett." Will told the man. "Let the boy go. We can sit and have a chat."

The man did release the boy and step closer to Will. "Where is Locksley?"

Will shrugged. "Gone. He defeated Nottingham. He had no reason to stay."

The man stared at Will for a moment then drew back his arm and struck a blow across Will's face that nearly dropped the younger man to the ground.

After struggling to stay on his feet, Will glared at the man.

"That's one lie, Scarlett. You won't get another."

"Why do you want Robin?" Will demanded.

"Oh, I've been paid handsomely to make sure he knows not to try to find you." The man seemed very pleased with himself.

"So," Will began, careful not to make any sudden movements. "If it's me you want, we don't need to stay here." It had been an easy decision on Will's part. He couldn't permit the man and his coterie to stay here any longer. John was already hurt, and Wulf had been threatened. If they remained the odds increased that someone else would get hurt.

John seemed to have caught on, because he growled a bit and said, "Will."

Will didn't spare his friend a glance. He maintained eye contact with the leader at all times. "If you were hired to make sure he knew not to try to find me, surely whoever hired you told you what to say. Leave a message for Robin. Tell him why you've taken me. Then I'll go with you. We'll go wherever you please. I won't struggle as long as you leave these people alone."

The man considered the words and slowly withdrew a letter, sealed with wax and with a flowery looking writing across the front. Will couldn't read it, but he knew for whom it was intended.

"How courageous a suggestion from a tried and true coward."

Will's eyes flashed fire at the insult, but he refused to be baited. He had to convince the man to do as he asked.

The man sobered. "Very well. I shall take you up on that generous offer, Scarlett."

"No!" Fanny wailed.

"Fanny," Will called, eyes still on his foe. "Take Wulf."

"Oh, yes, by all means!" The man said. "Take Wulf." When Fanny came forward to collect her son, the man handed the letter to her. "Give this to Robin Hood." He motioned for his people to mount their horses.

He moved quickly to Will's side, and taking a rope from his pack, secured Will's hands tightly leaving a long length of the rope dangling from his wrists. Securing his end to hi0s own saddle, he mounted and urged his horse forward. Will was forced to keep up or risk being dragged.

As they moved off, Will turned to his right to get a last look at Fanny, John and their children before he had to turn his attention to keeping on his feet. One thought repeated in his head in rhythm with his steps as his fears and hopes clashed in time with the pounding of his heart; _Robin will find me_.

To Be Continued


	19. Chapter 19

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 9: Hanging in the Balance

John stood as soon as they were out of sight. He called to the oldest child still remaining in camp. The boy was all of 17 years old, and had once idolized John, though that had calmed over the years. As he'd grown up, he'd earned John's respect and in turn the respect of most of the men in the camp.

"Jack!" The boy raced to him. "Can you follow them without them seeing?"

The boy nodded and made to head off, but John caught his wrist. "I mean it. Keep out of sight. Take no chances. That man will _kill_ you if he catches you. Just follow at a distance and see where they go." The boy nodded once more and was gone.

John turned to Fanny. "Everyone all right?" When she nodded, he turned to the remaining men. "We need to be ready. Robin may want us to go after Will, or he may want to do that himself. He likely will want us to move. Those men found us. We can't stay here any more. Until we're pardoned, we're still outlaws."

John set tasks for them all, reluctantly leaving Fanny to clean up their little one's scrapes. They set about cleaning up after the mishap. John couldn't help but wonder what the man wanted with Will and Robin. He couldn't believe that the boy had gone and offered himself in exchange for them all. Not that he didn't consider Will a brave man. Of course he was. It was just that the grand gesture was usually not something he was accustomed to making.

As they worked, John couldn't help but grow anxious. The anticipation of how Robin would take this was tearing him up. Robin had become fiercely protective of Will since he'd learned of their relationship. John couldn't help but feel he'd let the man down. In a sense, Robin had left Will in _his_ care. Not explicitly, of course, but leaving at all was only something Robin was comfortable doing because John was here to look after things. Those things included Robin's little brother.

He hoped something would lead the hunting party home early, but he knew they'd planned to stay out overnight. After an hour had passed, he decided there was no way around it. He had to go and find Robin on his own. He told Fanny what he intended.

"Of course, you're right, John, but is it practical? Do you even know where they were going to hunt?"

John shook his head. "I know they had a few places in mind." He looked up with a sudden idea. "We can send one of the kids to each place to get a message to him."

Fanny shook her head. "No. I don't think that's safe, and…we only have one copy of the letter that man wrote. He'll have to come here to read it anyway. He'll be back by morning at the latest. Jack hasn't even come back to tell us where they've gone yet, so even if he got here right now, he'd have to wait."

"Robin and Azeem could track the horses." John insisted.

"True enough." She smiled at him. "Go on then. See if you can find him. I'll keep the letter here, though so he can read it if he comes back before you."

"Safer that way, anyway." John agreed. He gave her a kiss and started walking.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

The mornings in Sherwood were some of the prettiest mornings in all of England, Robin was sure. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent and happy all over again that he'd returned from the Crusades.

He hadn't slept well last night. Something troubled his sleep, keeping him tossing and turning as though in anticipation of something, but seeing this morning' golden light and smelling the sweet, clean air, it was hard to maintain the kernel of worry that had gnawed at him in the deepest part of the night.

They'd risen early and packed up the carcasses and had been on their way home for about a half hour when they bumped into John.

"John, what are you doing here?" Robin smiled, though he was confused.

John's relief at seeing Robin was obvious and wakened the worry he'd managed to push aside. The smile slipped from his face as John approached. "What's happened, John?"

"Men came to the camp. They took Will." John began.

"What?" Robin felt the kernel of worry blossom into a full-blown panic. "Who was it? Why did they take him?" Anyone there to arrest Will would have taken John and the others as well, so this was something else. It dawned on him then. "This is something to do with the man who claimed to be Will's father."

"I couldn't say, but it's likely. He didn't identify himself. He did leave a message for you. Fanny has it for safekeeping. I've sent Jack to follow the men who took Will. With any luck he'll be back by now with some news of where they went." John took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Robin."

Robin shook off the apology. "You've nothing to be sorry for, if that bruise is any indication of the fight you put up."

"But…Will…"

"We'll find him," Robin said, with a certainty and bravado he didn't actually feel. He turned to look for Azeem, surprised to find the Moor by his side since he hadn't heard the man's approach. "We should go on ahead. We can move more quickly if we go now." He seemed to be asking his friend if he thought the others would be able to make it back without them.

Azeem nodded. "They will be fine. We must find him."

Robin turned to Bull, who was hovering nearby waiting for some word of what Robin would do. "Bull, Azeem and I are going on ahead with John. You're in charge of getting everyone back safely."

Bull nodded. "We'll 'urry, Robin, in case you need us."

Robin smiled and turned back to John and Azeem. "Let's go."

The trio moved swiftly through Sherwood. It was their home and they knew it well. Fallen trees, tree roots, rocks, nothing was a real impediment to them. As they moved, John told them what happened.

"It was a brave thing to do, Rob," John said, shaking his head.

Robin agreed. "He'll never believe that. He'll say he was just being practical." Robin sighed and looked at John. "Will considers himself a coward. I sometimes wonder if that's my fault."

John looked startled.

Robin waved a hand vaguely and exhaled slowly. "For telling him the one weapon he lacked was courage."

"You can say a lot of things about Will Scarlett, Robin, but you can't say he ever made it easy." They shared a laugh before John continued. "Will was never what you'd call bold. He counseled against direct attack. It's no wonder really, since that sort of thing often backfired for him. Will was brave, but he'd never choose to face something head on if a round about path could get him the same result. Made him good at finding that round about path." John sighed. "Of course, you weren't the first to mistake that for cowardice. It made him…sensitive."

"I should never have said that." Robin shook his head, brooding now over the hurt he imagined he must have caused his brother. He'd antagonized Will—baited him. _On some level, _he thought as he walked,_ I had to know he'd react. It's no great surprise that he would lash out. He'd been looking for a reason since we met. I handed it to him and shot him in the hand for daring to take the shot_. Robin shuddered at the memory. He had been upset at the time, telling himself that he hadn't purposely baited the boy, but deep down, he'd known he had. There wasn't any other way for a boy like Will to have reacted to being called a coward in front of everyone he knew.

John shook his head. "I've got eight children, Robin. Every time one of them get into some sort of trouble, I blame myself." He held up a hand when Robin tried to interrupt. "All I'm trying to say, Rob, is that you were both wrong. He was mad at you for reasons you didn't know at the time, and you were mad at him because he'd made you a target of his anger for so long. That's not what this is about. This is about him being missing. This is about him being taken from you when you weren't there to prevent it. This is about him doing the brave _and bold_ thing for once and likely ending up in more trouble than he can handle." He looked Robin in the eye. "This is about family."

Robin nodded and offered John a tentative smile. "You're a smart man, John Little."

John laughed and shook his head. "If there's one thing I know about Robin of Locksley, it's family."

Robin slipped into silence. He had to admit, John Little knew a lot about family. It was perhaps the thing Robin himself knew least about. His mother had died when he was still a child. He and his father had been estranged for more than half his life. He'd discovered he had a brother just a few weeks ago. It wasn't something to which he could honestly say he'd readily adapted. Recalling his reaction when Will had told him, he felt his cheeks flush in shame. He'd pushed Will repeatedly. He'd told him to shut up. He'd screamed at him that he was lying, when, in his heart, he'd known the truth.

Moments later, he'd embraced Will and clung to him as though to life itself, and, in a way, it had felt like that. He had been alone. Yes, there were friends like Azeem, John, and the others. There was even Marian, with whom he hoped to make a family of his own, of course, but there was no one else of his bloodline. No one else connected in any way to his parents, his childhood, or the life he had known. Granted the connection was tenuous at best. He and Will had not grown up together. They did not share the same childhood memories or have a history to draw upon in the traditional way that siblings did, but when Will had said who he was, he had stirred the emotions of a twelve-year-old boy who had lost his mother and was angry with his father. It had almost been as if the intervening years had not happened. He felt as that boy had felt…that misguided, selfish, unrepentant child who had destroyed the lives of Will, his mother and of his own father. In a way, it had been the twelve-year-old Robin who had denied Will's words and pushed him away. Given a moment to adjust to the shock, the present-day Robin had embraced Will wholeheartedly.

He had told himself that he would always be there for Will, protect him, support him, and make up to him all the things that his selfishness had cost him.

He hadn't done too well.

They reached the campsite and Robin couldn't say he'd actually been aware of the journey. He'd been lost in his memories, guided by his guilt and worry.

Now he moved quickly to Fanny, who, having seen Azeem, Robin and her husband return, raced toward Robin, the letter Will's captor had left held tightly in her hand.

"Robin! Thank goodness!" Fanny said as she handed it to him.

Robin tore open the letter and read it hurriedly. Reaching the end, he read it through again.

"Rob?" John asked softly, and Robin immediately explained the high points of the letter.

"It's not signed. It says he sent his man to collect Will to 'pay for the peasant boy's transgressions' and because 'his sanity is in question as his tales are pure imagination' …he goes on to say that Will won't be long for this world and will soon 'share his mother's fate' and if I should try to rescue Will, he might consider my sanity in question and petition to ensure that my father's lands and titles are never restored to me."

He looked up from the letter. "It says, 'share his mother's fate'" Robin said softly. "His mother died in a fire…"

Fanny, tears in her eyes, nodded. "She was burned alive."

Azeem cleared his throat. "You are going after him." It wasn't a question, and Robin knew Azeem would go with him if he needed help. Azeem had told him that Allah had brought him to England to help in Robin's struggle against Nottingham. He had then told him that he was sure part of Allah's plan had been for him to bring peace between Will and Robin. Like so many things that Azeem said, Robin hadn't really understood it at the time. He and Will didn't need Azeem's help in that respect. They weren't warring with each other. Certainly not after Will had revealed who he was.

Now, thinking about it, he realized that while they had reached a tentative peace, they had not yet even begun to try to understand each other. They did a careful dance between revealing too little and revealing too much. Will especially seemed unable to believe that Robin intended to acknowledge him as a brother. He himself hadn't really tried to understand what Will's life had been like. It was well and good trying to learn everything he'd been through, but he couldn't help but wonder if that had been anything more than morbid curiosity. Surely he should have gone to Will and not gone to John and Fanny and gathered information behind his brother's back.

Robin looked at Fanny. "Has Jack returned?"

Fanny nodded, "Just before you got here. Poor lad is tuckered out. He's having a bit of stew." She gestured toward her home, and Robin, Azeem and John headed straight for it. "Now, hold on!" Fanny said cutting them off. "I'll not have you lot running in there and scaring the boy to bits." Having their attention, she continued. "Let me go in to let him know you're back."

She disappeared inside. They stood nearby, properly chastised for their haste. Robin was clearly impatient. Azeem put a hand on his shoulder in silent support and to help the man calm himself.

John laughed. "That's my Fanny! A few words from her, and we're all standing around saying 'yes, ma'am' with hats in hands!"

Robin was about to reply when Fanny came out. "All right, you can come in. He has a lot to tell you."

The others stood a moment, making way for Robin to go in first, then followed. They found the boy standing by the small window, though his back was to it. He seemed nervous and Robin couldn't tell if it was because of what he'd seen or simply because he had to talk to Robin about the people who'd taken his brother.

Robin put him at his ease. It was something he'd learned to do by watching his father. A word, a gesture, and someone in authority became someone to confide in. He'd done it often enough in his earliest days in Sherwood. The adults were now his friends. The children were sometimes in awe of him, and Jack, somewhere between adulthood and childhood, was half way in each.

Seated around John's and Fanny's home, Robin asked Jack to tell him where Will was.

The boy shook his head as he grimaced in anticipation of Robin's reaction. "I lost them."

Robin clenched his teeth for a moment to contain his disappointment.

The boy faltered, and Robin gave him a smile. "It's all right. Tell us what you do know."

The boy sighed in relief, but seemed reluctant to tell his tale.

Azeem interrupted. "You have a story to tell, Jack. Even if we don't know where it ends, tell us the rest."

"Yes, by all means, Jack." Robin said, warmly. "Tell us all you know."

Jack took a deep breath and began his story.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Azeem watched Robin and Jack by turns. He watched Robin to see if he were handling the news without caving to his anger, and he watched Jack because he knew the boy had likely seen more than he would report. Not on purpose, of course, but he was young and remembering to report everything no matter its perceived significance would not readily occur to him. He wanted to know when he should ask questions to drag more out of him.

The boy hesitated, but then began his tale.

"I followed them like John said. I stayed well back, like we used to when we were spotters to take the taxes for crossing through Sherwood. I used our signal once, the bird call that Will taught us, so he'd know at least that he wasn't alone." He looked down and stopped.

Robin looked at Azeem, and the Moor saw that the Englishman's worry prevented him asking. He spoke before the silence grew too awkward. "You must tell us everything, Jack. Was Will hurt? We need to know if he might be too injured to aid in his own escape."

The boy nodded, though whether confirming Will's injury or indicating he understood, Azeem couldn't say. The boy took up the story before he could ask.

"Will was tied. His wrists were tied together, and there was a long lead tied to the head man's saddle."

Robin and Azeem looked to John, who had not mentioned this. The man nodded. "They did that before they left, Rob. I'm sorry. I forgot to mention. If I could have done anything…"

Robin nodded. "I know." He turned back to the boy. "Go on, Jack."

"Well, every so often, if the road was clear enough, the leader moved into a trot. Once or twice he flat out galloped. Will tried to keep up, but he fell a few times." The boy shuddered at the memory. "They stopped a few times, either to get him up or to water the horses. They didn't offer Will any water."

The way he hesitated Azeem felt he had to ask. "There's more?"

"Yes," the boy sighed as though he could delay having to say any more. "Once or twice they offered the water, but they pulled it back when he tried to accept it. After that, he never took them up on the offer.

"He was brave, Robin! He never pleaded, even when they told him to, and he never cowered away from any of them, even though he must have known they were going to hit him." He smiled for the first time. "Once, when the leader yanked him to his feet after a fall, Will spat in his eye and butted heads with him like a fifteen-point stag! He gave as good as he got!"

Azeem smiled sadly at the image of the Young Christian, defiant and belligerent, even though bound and threatened.

Robin hadn't gotten past that image. "Having head-butted his captor, I assume they didn't just laugh that off." It wasn't a question, Azeem noted, but it demanded an answer anyway.

Jack shook his head looking down again.

"Go on," Azeem urged when he stopped.

"He walked up to Will and he said something. I couldn't hear it, but Will seemed shaken by whatever it was. Then he kicked Will's legs out from under him. When Will fell, they kicked him in the stomach." Jack was uncomfortable now. Tears stood in the boy's eyes, and he dashed a hand across them obviously hoping no one had seen it. "They were heading toward Nottingham, but when I got close, one of them saw me. They chased me and I nearly didn't get away…"

Azeem reached across and patted the boy's shoulder. "You've done well, Jack. You've given us a start and the information we need. You should rest. You've been up all night."

The boy looked to Robin, who nodded with a half-hearted smile. The boy thanked Fanny for the food and left.

Azeem looked to John and Fanny. "We will need to make our plans. How many men can we count on?"

John looked surprised at the question. "As many as you want and then some. There's not a soul who wouldn't help that boy after what he did. Those men were going to start killing us and we all knew it. Somehow, Will talked them out of it and offered himself as a means to protect all of us." John shook his head and Azeem saw the wonder in his eyes. "He keeps to himself so much, that lad, that we forget sometimes that when he's pushed up against a wall, he can always find a way to protect himself and the people he wants protected."

Robin shook his head. "He didn't protect himself."

Azeem knew Robin was still tormenting himself with the idea that, had he been here or had he insisted on Will going on the hunting trip, he could have dispatched the hired men or found some way to keep them from getting a hold of his brother. Azeem knew two things. One, if Robin had been here, they would either have both been taken or both been killed, and two if Will had not been there, the camp would have been burned a second time, and there could well have been no survivors.

Azeem looked at Robin. "We need to make our plans," he said again more firmly. "We can yet discover where he is being held. The note will contain clues, even if the author did not intend it to be so."

Robin nodded. "We need to move our camp. They know where we are and how to find us."

"But…what if he escapes?" Fanny asked. "He won't be able to find us."

Robin looked Fanny in the eye and Azeem knew what he was thinking. How was he to tell the woman that there'd be no escape for Will Scarlett? Somehow, Fanny saw it in Robin's face. She nodded absently, eyes wide in horror, as the rest of the group moved outside and sat by the fire talking to the other outlaws of Sherwood. Their plan would be vague at first, at least until they could discover where Will was being held, but now at least, he'd gotten Robin to work on the task instead of lamenting his brother's fate.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

It was darkness so complete it was overwhelming. There was no hint of light. Will woke slowly, his head pounding though whether that was from his journey here, the falls he'd taken, the blows he'd received or simple hunger and thirst, he couldn't guess. He tried to open his eyes, and realized he was blindfolded. From the stench and lack of fresh air, he was sure there was some sort of sack over his head as well. He shifted and felt the floor shift beneath him. Reflexively, tried to move his hands to steady himself, but they were tied to…he moved his hands slightly feeling metal at his wrists as well as rope. Bars. Metal bars. He was in a cage and tied to its bars. A cage that swung over open air…he felt a breeze flutter through the bars and realized he had no shirt.

Why would he be suspended in a cage with no shirt? Why was there no one here to taunt him or to torture him? Not that he looked forward to the torture. He much preferred solitude to pain, but as many times in his life as he'd been a captive, this was like nothing he'd ever experienced.

Deciding he had nothing to lose, he shifted again, and waited for the swinging to settle. When it did, he realized the cage was being lowered. Slowly, it moved to the ground, which it hit none too gently.

He heard someone fumble on one side of the cage…the side directly opposite where he was tied. "Hello?" He called out, but the word was muffled even to his own ears.

"Ah, awake, are you Scarlett?" The voice was not the one of the man who'd taken him from Sherwood, but Will would know it anywhere. He felt rage awaken in his heart and he struggled against his bonds.

The man made a clicking sound with his tongue. "Now, now, Scarlett, is that any way to behave?" He heard the door open and the man leaned into the cage. He swung out with his foot and was rewarded with the sounds of surprise and pain. Will grinned.

The sack was torn from his head, and the blindfold ripped from his eyes. He blinked, adjusting to the daylight with difficulty, and saw the face of the man he hated more than he'd ever hated his own father or brother. He tried to spit in that face, but his mouth was too dry.

"You have told tales best not told, boy, and you have made claims no peasant bastard should make." He smiled maliciously. "Do you recognize this?" The man gestured to the cage, but Will could only glare at him. "No? Pity. It's the cage that held your father as he breathed his last. Assuming that Lord Locksley was indeed your father. If he was, it's a fitting enough resting place for his bastard son. If he wasn't," again the malicious smile lit the Duke's features. "Then his spirit can take revenge for your accusations. If you believe in vengeful spirits, of course."

Will's stomach sank at the thought. He'd seen the cage and his father, lifeless and decaying, inside it for months. He'd had to swallow his own tears when he'd seen the dead body of his father hanging from the burned out ruins of Locksley Castle. He'd started to climb the ruins hoping to find a way to cut the man down arguing with himself as he did that he was under no obligation to the man who had thrown his mother and him away like so much garbage. An old, blind man—whom he now knew was Duncan—had shouted at him to go away, and rather than explain himself he'd done just that. He'd refused to allow himself the luxury of grieving for the man, but he had grieved for the lost possibility of meeting Lord Locksley and telling the man who he was.

He almost choked on the stench of decay still clinging to the cage, though he wasn't sure he hadn't imagined that. As he turned his head, he realized the cage wasn't the only similarity to his father's final resting place.

Wide-eyed, he glanced around at the ruins of Locksley Castle.

The Duke saw the recognition there. "Ah, yes, it's Locksley's home. Robin of the Hood will never think to look for you here. So it serves my purpose in so many respects."

He leaned inside the cage once more, eyes blazing with rage. "I will have satisfaction. You accused me in front of Lady Marian and the rabble staying there of things to which no nobleman would admit. You accosted me and would have tried to exact your revenge with your blade if that fool Robin Hood had not stopped you!" He wrapped his hands around Will Scarlett's throat and squeezed.

Will struggled for breath, his arms convulsing in instinctive spasms as he pulled against the ropes in an attempt to bring his hands over to keep the Duke from killing him. He tried to use his legs, but he couldn't get the leverage.

The Duke, however, had no intention of killing Will just yet. He released Will watching the desperate attempts to take in more air, the coughing, and the continued struggle against the too tight ropes. When Will was finally breathing, albeit roughly, the Duke began to whisper.

At first, Will wasn't able to focus, but after the first few sentences, he realized the Duke was as unhinged as he was wealthy. He stared in apprehension as he realized what the man was saying.

"Your 'brother' will look for you, though I'm sure he's not really your brother. He will search, because for some reason, he _does_ believe you. He thinks I intend to burn you alive as your mother burned." He waved a hand in a vague gesture. "I let him believe that." He reached for the blindfold tying it to cover Will's eyes. "You will die, of course, but it will be a slow death…one of exposure and hunger and thirst." He smiled. "He may never find you at all, not even your remains, but if he does, he will find you as he found his father…dead and decaying and far too late!"

The Duke produced more rope and tied Will's legs securely to the cage. He was secured in an upright position, standing. He could not kick. He could not turn his back to the wind. He could not curl up in an attempt, however feeble, to preserve whatever body heat he still possessed, and, shirtless in England's early winter, he wouldn't have much warmth left for very long.

The nobleman dropped the hood to the ground, deciding for some reason not to use it, and then he slammed the cage door shut. A moment later, Will heard the squeaky pulley and felt the cage lift slowly into the air. He tried to scream, but his throat was raw and sore and it was still difficult to take a breath. Will could only hope that there was no permanent damage from the Duke's attempt to strangle him. He tried to kick, but the man had secured his legs too well. He pulled on the ropes holding his hands in place, but they were immobile. He shook his head, hoping he might shake off the blindfold, and his mind insisted on conjuring images of his father being held in this same cage.

A sound assaulted his ears, surprisingly loud. It was the sound of wings…a raven perched above him cawing madly for a moment or two and he could not acknowledge it. He could not talk to it, kick it or kill it and eat it. His stomach rumbled at the thought of eating, but a moment later the appetite turned to nausea as he remembered where he was.

He was tired, but he was too afraid and too cold to sleep. He was so thirsty that swallowing was difficult. He was so dizzy that he had become lightheaded. His brain continued to replay the Duke's words. Unhinged was too kind a word for the man.

He'd seen lunacy before. He'd seen it up close. You couldn't live on the streets and not see it once in awhile. A man who'd spent to many winters sleeping rough might walk into a river covered in ice. A woman who'd lost too many children to hunger and harsh weather might take to talking to a piglet as though it were a babe. A child who'd taken one too many beatings might lash out in anger against a platoon of the Sheriff's men being rewarded with a sword to the belly.

He shivered as these memories swam in his mind, although he pretended it was merely the cold.

Will summoned his defiance and his anger thinking that might keep him warm. He'd wanted to compose another limerick, to toss out an insulting rhyme at the Duke that would let the man know how little this abduction had affected him, but his voice had deserted him. He'd tried to swallow to get it to work again. When he'd thought he could speak, he'd realized his tired brain would not give him the words. Never before in his life had words ever abandoned him. At one time or another, everyone he knew or cared about had done just that, but words had been his weapons. He could always hurl them with great accuracy whether he meant to injure or persuade, humiliate or insult, his quick wit had never failed to find the right combination of words combined with the correct tone for the occasion to achieve what he desired…until he'd met Robin at any rate. Robin had stirred his hatred, and for a time, that hatred had enraged him to the point that words had failed him. Just like fear had done now. When confronted with the Duke, and the horrors of where he was and what the man had planned for him, he'd drawn a blank.

The only thing that had still in his power was the defiance in his eyes and the hatred he had long nurtured against wealthy lords and noblemen.

It had not had the desired affect. He'd seen the calculation, and the ruthlessness as well as the insanity and knew at once that even had he found the words he'd wished for a moment ago, they would have been of little use. He would have no affect on this man. He could not persuade or humiliate. He could not injure or induce trust. The man was a calculating, patient and insane man. Will knew it then. He had met the mad man who would be the end of him.

To Be Continued


	20. Chapter 20

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 10: Desperation

Robin counted his arrows once again. He knew he had as many as he could carry. He knew that they were all in fine condition. He knew they were as sharp as he could make them. Yet, he could not stop checking and rechecking his quiver.

His sword, too, was sharpened and honed to a fine edge. It was polished and in as fine condition as his arrows. That, too, he could not leave alone.

He looked up from his latest check of his equipment to find Azeem walking smoothly toward him, his hand on the hilt of his scimitar. "Christian, all is ready. The search parties will leave in the morning."

Robin clenched his fists in frustration. "It is time wasted. Azeem…" Robin began, but stopped himself.

Azeem nodded and sat by the fire. "Christian, none could blame you for the fear you feel in your heart. You worry for him. We all do, but you have the most to lose." He looked into the fire for a moment staring into the flames. As he spoke, his eyes reflected the flames' dancing light. "You must leave the worried brother behind. Bring along only Robin Hood, the defender of Sherwood, defeater of Sheriff Nottingham and Robin of Locksley, the man who broke out of a foreign prison with a Moor he barely knew."

Robin looked at Azeem and understood how right he was. He shook his head in defeat. "I can no longer separate these men."

Azeem smiled. "Ah! That is better. If you are a whole man, a man who has found a way to permit the different sides of himself to live as one, then you will be ready to do whatever you need to do to free the Young Christian."

Robin shook his head. "This is wrong. He shouldn't have to go through this. He's barely recovered from his wounds. What if…"

Azeem placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Do not dwell on these questions. We will find him…" He smiled. "As you told me once when I mentioned that it might not be possible to save everyone, we will because we must."

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

The search parties went out just before dawn, everyone being eager to begin. Will and Azeem tracked the horses but it didn't lead them far. The ground was too hard from the recent lack of rain, and before long, the pair was forced to recognize their lack of progress.

Robin, not willing to turn back, decided to see Marian in the chance that she might have heard something or might help them work out who was behind this.

By the time Azeem and Robin reached Lady Marian's home, the sky was dark with both late evening and an impending storm. Marian met them immediately. "Robin!" She shouted his name with joy and more than a little relief. "It's been too long with no word. Are you all right?"

Robin nodded grimly. "I am as well as can be expected under the circumstances." He then filled her in on Will's abduction and on their ongoing search. He handed the note to her. "Do you know who this man might be? The note is unsigned."

Marian read the letter. "The writing is familiar, but the seal is not." She shook her head. "I don't…" she stopped and a small gasp escaped her.

"What?" Robin asked.

"Robin, if you read this through again…don't you see…it must be the Duke!"

"Allah, I am blind!" Azeem muttered. He turned to face Robin. "She is right, my friend."

"Why? Because of what happened when he was here…because Will…"

"Accused the Duke of _murdering _his mother." Marian said. "Robin, it's serious. Obviously, the Duke intends to be sure Will can't tell anyone else about his mother's death. He also doesn't like that Will has claimed to be your brother. He makes an allusion to how Will's mother died. It must be him. Who knows that except people who were there at the time?"

"Allah, be merciful," Azeem whispered and Robin wondered if that were a prayer for Will's well being or for them to be able to find the Duke and persuade him to release Will.

"Where does he live?" Robin asked.

"You cannot go to him!" Marian was shocked at the notion.

"I have to find Will!"

"Of course you do, but you don't seriously think he'll just let you walk into his home and accuse him of taking your brother?" Marian paused and thought about it.

"So…what do you suggest?" Robin hoped against hope that Marian would have an answer.

She looked up at him. "I'm afraid I've no idea, but let me talk to some friends, discreetly. Perhaps someone can help."

Robin sat down with a defeated slump to his shoulders. "I've failed him," he said in a whisper. "I promised to keep him safe, to keep him from harm…I've failed him."

Azeem put a hand on Robin's shoulder. "You have not failed yet, Christian. We will find him, and you will yet get to know your brother."

Robin wasn't as convinced of this, but took refuge in the plans once again. "Come, Azeem. We should start our search once more."

Together they rode out hoping to find some sign of Will Scarlett.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

The second night in the cage was much rougher to Will than the first night had been. While he'd been terrified, cold, and hungry the one thing that had worked in his favor was the distinct lack of wind. That first night the air had been still. Now, a harsh, cold wind whipped through the bars of the cage. It whistled through the ruins of the castle making odd, ghost-like noises, which put Will in mind of the Duke's parting words about his father's ghost. He didn't believe in ghosts, of course, but as dawn broke he began to realize that he was falling ill. His fevered imagination insisted on having conversations with his dead father. His brain conjured images of him standing nearby, hovering in the air as though that were normal, though he supposed that, for a ghost, it would be.

He'd called for Robin off and on as day and night bled into each other, but his voice was little more than a hoarse whisper thanks to the Duke. Thirst and injury to his throat robbed him of his only chance to call attention to himself. He lacked the strength to rock the cage, and, being tied to it, he couldn't rattle the bars or jump about to get someone's attention. Not that anyone ever passed the castle. The tales of why Lord Locksley had been killed prevented anyone turning up.

So, as the feeble rays of the sun failed spectacularly to warm his cage Will hung there, held upright by the very ropes that hindered his movement, talking to his long dead father and wondering if he'd gone mad.

The third dawn was no better. He was weaker, he knew that, but he no longer felt cold. He thought perhaps he should be worried about that, but couldn't remember why.

All he could think now was that it wasn't so bad not shivering. On some level he supposed he must be dying. He worried about Robin. He had no way to get a message to his brother telling him it wasn't his fault.

Thinking of Robin that way made him recall what they'd shared since they'd met. Words came to him, and though he had little enough voice left, he could not keep them to himself.

There was a Lord returned from War

A better life he was after

He lived in Sherwood

Was called Robin Hood…

Will's voice stopped the sing-song rhythm and dropped to a whisper. "…and I wasted time full of anger…"

He blinked rapidly and looked up at the dismal, graying sky and began again.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Each day that passed without any sign of his brother set Robin further on edge. He grew distracted, preoccupied. He snapped at his friends. He slept little, for when he did his memories and his fears collided in a freakish panorama of what-ifs. Will in the Holy Land prison from which he and Azeem had escaped, Will being held by Nottingham, his blood the price for Robin's transgressions, and Will being burned alive at his mother's side by the Duke.

Robin began leaving Sherwood early each morning and riding in random directions. The other search parties went out later in the day, and some didn't go out at all. The winter was becoming hard to ignore—bitter temperatures, scarce food sources—and more of the groups were needed to prepare for it. Sherwood was a beautiful home, but if unprepared for the cold, wet, English winter, the so-called outlaws would not live to see spring.

As their de-facto leader, Robin didn't begrudge them the time and manpower to prepare for the winter, but as he became more and more desperate to find some sign of his brother, he knew he'd never make it through the winter himself if he didn't find Will Scarlett soon. Something inside him was breaking, and without his brother by his side, Robin didn't think it could be fixed.

Today marked the third day since he'd returned from a hunting trip to find Will missing. Azeem insisted on accompanying him, and though they didn't often speak, Robin was glad to have the company.

They'd been searching for hours, when Azeem spoke, startling Robin out of his thoughts. "Christian, we've seen no sign. Perhaps we should consider another plan."

"What sort of plan? Finding him is our only hope."

"We can go about finding him a different way. Surely we can find this Duke and persuade him to release your brother…or perhaps we can follow him and see if he leads us to Will's prison."

Robin nodded. "I'd love the chance to speak to the Duke, but Marian thought it a bad idea. I don't want to make anything difficult for her. She's put herself at risk for us already, and if she loses everything…"

"She will still have you, Christian."

"Yes, and while my ego hopes that is enough, I cannot see depriving her of her home. Also, if King Richard returns and finds she's put him in an untenable position, he might not support her if it were a politically compromising thing to do." Robin shook his head. "The rest of our people are counting on King Richard's pardons…"

"Ah, Christian, they would not prize that above your brother's life."

"Then…we should go to see the Duke." Robin smiled and urged his horse to gallop. Azeem was close behind. 

As they rode, Robin realized that his brother's disappearance had forced him to make one decision. As soon as he found Will, and as soon as they were both pardoned, he would do everything he legally could to be sure that Will was afforded every opportunity the name of Locksley could obtain for him. He would have half of the Locksley lands, and a title and anything else Robin could get him to accept.

Getting him to accept would be tricky. He wouldn't take charity, and Robin had no idea if he would be willing to agree to take on the lands and titles of a man who had, in essence, rejected him even if it had been Robin's fault. Will was obstinate, angry, frustrated and still full of bitterness and hatred. He was also suspicious. He expected Robin to let him down somehow, and that fact in itself worried Robin.

He knew Will had every reason to expect to be let down. It was a recurring pattern in his life, and Robin was in many ways the person who had set that pattern in motion by forcing his father to reject the peasant woman who would later become Will's mother.

These thoughts were, as his father would say, tomorrow's worries. His priority now was to find Will, and to do that, he had to find Henry, Duke of Essex.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

"Lady Marian! How wonderful to see you!" Henry, Duke of Essex greeted her warmly, but Marian had to wonder how genuine the greeting was. When last they'd seen each other, he'd insisted that he was in the midst of business for Prince John. Why he would be staying on at Nottingham Castle concerned her.

"When I head you were still here, I had to come see you!" Marian wondered then what Robin would say when she told him of this visit. She'd all but forbade him to do it himself, and here she was visiting the man they suspected of kidnapping Will Scarlett. Still, now that she was here, she had to play the game. "You seemed in such a hurry the last time we spoke." She smiled with a slight coquettishness, and hoped he would find it as flattering as she found it nauseating. "You were a bit mysterious about that as well, Your Grace, but I'm glad you found reason to stay here." She looked around Nottingham Castle, successfully repressing the urge to run from this hated place and the memories it stirred. "Will you be taking up residence permanently?"

"Oh, Lord, no! I'm not looking to expand my territory that way! I have no wish to take on the late Sheriff's duties. To be honest, he was never well liked at Court. His duties would bore me to tears, I'm sure."

She laughed with him. "Tedious, they must have been." She agreed with him. "So you're only here for a short time. I should have guessed the Prince would prefer to keep you in London. Well, London's gain is Nottingham's loss, I suppose."

"Ah, Lady Marian, your mother is so right about you. She laments that you have not joined her at Prince John's Court."

"I desire to see my mother more than I can say, but I have a duty to the people…there are _so many children_ who have been displaced by the former Sheriff's policies." Marian forced tears to her eyes. "It breaks my heart to think of them homeless and hungry." She knew the Duke would now write her off as a weak, softhearted woman, and would not see her as a threat. She needed that if she were to be of any use to Robin.

"I see," the Duke said, not unsympathetically. "To be honest, I thought it was something like that. You are too kind, Lady Marian. That is your only flaw."

Marian blushed and looked away. "Oh! Your Grace, you're much too kind."

"I assume your visit is in aid of something."

"To be sure, Your Grace, I've come to see if there is any way you might let Prince John know of the surfeit of foundlings living in and near Nottingham. Perhaps there is some aid the Crown might render?" She turned hope filled eyes on the Duke and forced herself to look as clueless as she was able.

He laughed. "Is that all that you require?"

"It seems like a great deal to me."

"The caring of the peasant women and children, that was why you had Robin Hood's people staying with you wasn't it?" 

"I'd hardly permit a criminal—let along a band of them—stay with me otherwise." Marian admitted, with seeming reluctance.

"I thought as much." He seemed to consider something and then slipped an arm around her shoulder. "What do you make of Robin of the Hood?"

"Well," Marian pretended to be flustered by the question. "While I understand his _reasons_, I cannot say I support the notion that crime is any way to solve a man's problems." She paused. This was it. She would push one last thing…baiting the hook. "Least of all a nobleman!"

"You know, I'd heard you were friends with Robin of Locksley." The Duke said.

Marian laughed. "No. My brother was his friend. All I remember of him is that he used to burn my hair when I was a child."

He made a show of looking at her long, dark tresses. "A crime if ever there was one!" He put an arm around her shoulders and moved gently toward a table. "Lady Marian, what were your thoughts of Will Scarlett?"

"The boy? I don't really know him. I've only spoken to him a time or two." 

"Yet you defended him when he accused me of crimes too heinous to describe in polite company."

She looked chagrinned. "Ah, well, I must beg your forgiveness for that. I was concerned. Robin's men were there and armed. If he had supported his brother in an armed conflict, they would have weighed in as well. There were dozens of children in the courtyard…" She sniffed and dabbed a handkerchief to her eyes.

"Ah, don't trouble yourself Marian. I understand completely. I think you might be interested to know that Will Scarlett will never again make any accusations—or claims—to any nobleman."

"What do you mean?" Marian's heart hammered in her chest, and she felt her cheeks flush. She could only hope he would consider it natural in the circumstances.

"I have given him an appropriate end."

"You cannot mean…he's dead?" She felt much as she had when Will had told Nottingham that Robin was dead.

"Oh, I would think he is by now. He was alive when last I saw him. Let's just say there's a castle nearby with another ghost!" He laughed, and she forced herself to join him. She spent the next hour visiting with him so as not to raise suspicion. When she could finally break away, she made for Sherwood and hoped that, since she had yet to be at their new campsite and had no idea where to find it, Robin would find her.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

?There was a Lord returned from War

A better life he did search for

He lived in Sherwood

Was called Robin Hood…"

Again Will failed to find a decent last line for his rhyme. He could barely get the words out, and he'd all but lost his voice.

His need to immortalize Will in words was the only thing that occupied his mind. He had stopped shivering earlier in the day, and his hunger had left him. He could not cry. Tears would not come. He could not call out, for his voice was all but gone. The singing, such as it was, was less music and more just croaking.

Sleep would not come. He supposed he must be dozing at times, but it did not feel like sleep. It seemed more like a waking dream. The words, though they still seemed to fail him, were the only way to occupy his mind and his time.

He cleared his throat, but it was sore and rough. Wincing, he tried again.

"There was a Lord returned from War

In Sherwood Forest he did live

His men thought him good

He was called Robin Hood…"

Frustration angered Will, but he had not the strength to do anything about it. He took a deep breath. _Again_, he told himself. _Try again_.

"There was a Lord returned from War…"

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Lady Marian rode as fast as she dared, and was so preoccupied with her search, that she was upon Robin and Azeem before she realized it.

"Robin!" She cried out in relief and desperation. "Robin, it's he Duke! He _did_ take Will!"

"What?" Robin asked. "When? What have you heard?"

Marian related what she'd gotten from the Duke. "'A castle nearby has another ghost…' that's all he said. I could get no more out of him." But as she spoke, Robin was turning his horse around.

"I know where he is!" Robin declared and rode on. Marian could only stare after him. Her horse was too tired to follow.

"Go, Azeem! My horse is tired. I won't be able to keep up!"

Azeem turned and followed Robin, and Marian prayed they would find Will in time, or she feared Robin would not bear it.

"Where are we going, Christian?" Azeem called as loudly as possible as they galloped across the English countryside.

"He said, 'A castle nearby'! He means Locksley Castle."

"How can you be so certain, Christian?"

"I cannot, but it is the only answer I have. It would appeal to a man like Essex."

Azeem did not argue.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

It was dark when he reached the outskirts of his land, and he had no clue where to begin to search for Will. He could only hope he was right, and Will wasn't being kept somewhere else. He did not think he could take another day of this, and certainly Will would be better off if Robin could find him soon.

He slowed his horse as the castle walls came into view. Azeem came up beside him. "Where do we look?" The Moor asked.

Robin sighed. "Everywhere." Robin rode slowly around the grounds, but hopped off the horse so he could look inside the castle…such as it was. "It's a ruin. No walls to speak of…nothing left of the home I knew. Where could he be?"

Azeem shook his head, but then stopped and cocked it. "Do you hear that, Christian?"

"What?"

"Listen."

Robin strained to hear what his friend had heard. He moved slowly, silently. Then he heard it. It was a sound like groaning, but not groaning precisely. Robin moved around the ruins, his eyes darting all over the place, but the sound would stop and would start again, and it echoed over the broken bits of stone and support until Robin became confused and almost dizzy with moving his head to try to see what made the sound.

There was a cough, dry and hacking, and then the sound was replaced by soft words spoken so softly, he had to hold his breathe in order to hear them.

"There was a Lord returned from War.

The Sheriff cursed his behavior

He lived in Sherwood

He was called Robin Hood

To the peasants, he was a savior."

Then a soft croaking laugh echoed down from the highest ramparts.

Down! Robin thought craning his head to look up. The laughter continued for a time, and became again a cough and then, suddenly, all sound ceased.

"No!" Robin shouted, thinking the worst when the familiar tune disappeared.

Azeem pointed up. "There, Christian!"

Robin saw it a moment before Azeem pointed it out. He scrambled up the side of the castle leaping over broken stone, and crawling when standing became impractical. The cage was too familiar, and he shuddered at the memory of the last time he'd seen it…or one like it. It was too much, he thought, for Will to end up here.

He found the rope that held the cage in place, and, with Azeem's help, he lowered it to the ground. He wanted to be gentle, but he found himself rushing the job out of a desperation born of fear.

When it finally touched ground, he raced to it, and there he was.

"Will?" Robin called softly. His brother was tied, wrists and ankles strapped to the rough iron bars of the cage. He was shirtless and all but blue from the cold. When Robin called his name, he did not move.

"Oh, Will," Robin whispered. He tore open the door and reached inside. He first untied Will's ankles and then moved inside to free his wrists. Immediately, his brother fell, slumping forward into Will's arms. Robin touched Will's face. He drew his hand back in surprise. He was cold. Ice cold. The cold of death.

"Azeem!" He called to his friend, his fear lodging in his throat and choking off any other words he might say.

Azeem moved to the cage door. "Get him out of here, Christian." Azeem pulled off his own cloak and spread it carefully on the ground. "Here," he said indicating the cloak. Robin gently placed Will on the still-warm cloak and tore his own from his back to place on top of him. 

"Is he…" he could not finish the question.

"I cannot say, Christian. He is not yet dead, but he is colder than any man I've ever seen."

Robin looked at his brother and saw the purple, red, black and blue marks around his brother's throat. "What did he do?"

Azeem hissed. "It looks like he was nearly strangled." Azeem fingered the bruises. "I do not think it is serious. It is the cold that worries me." He looked at Robin. "We should build a fire for him, but it is not warm enough here." He gestured to the wide-open area, and the wind, as if to prove his point, picked up robbing them both of breath for a moment. "If he is to have any chance, we must take him somewhere warm. How far to your Lady's home?"

"If we hurry, we can be there soon."

"Hurry, Christian. If he is to live, he cannot spend another night out here." Azeem gestured to the horses, and Robin quickly mounted. Azeem passed Will, still wrapped in both cloaks, up to him. "Keep him close. Your warmth can save him, Christian."

Robin didn't have to be told twice. He rode as fast as the terrain would permit, Azeem somehow keeping pace. Will's stillness scared him more than he'd ever been in his life since the day he'd been locked in a prison ten thousand miles from home.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Will felt movement and wondered if the wind had picked up again. He felt no colder, but then he hadn't been able to feel the cold for some time. He felt…warmth. Surprise sped his heart, and he tried to open his eyes. Finding himself unable, he moved his head toward the warmth. It was a confusing feeling. The warmth had a scent and a sound. He heard a beat, and thought for a moment it was his own heart, but he knew that was wrong. He wanted to speak, to ask who was there and where he was, but only a groan came out.

"Will?"

That was Robin's voice. Had he started to hallucinate? He groaned again in reply.

"Will!"

"R'bn," was all he managed to say before he felt himself slipping away. Just before he did, he felt as though he were moving faster.

To Be Continued


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Note: Sorry for the mix up with the chapters. I've fixed it now.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 11: Consequences

Will's movement gave Robin hope. That was all he needed. He felt his brother turn slightly towards him, but there wasn't much he could do for him. He could just about keep Will on the horse…Will couldn't hold on with his arms wrapped in the cloaks, and Robin knew that even if he could, his brother would have no strength. He could only hope that Will hadn't been in that damnable cage for the entire time he'd been missing. Last night had been one of the windiest, coldest days he'd ever experienced. He'd wondered if his memory of English winters had diminished over the years he'd spent in the Holy Land, but Fanny had assured him it wasn't so.

Azeem had glared at Robin all morning finally telling him that he could not imagine why everyone on the English Isle hadn't fled en masse to warmer climes.

As he rode, he felt Will stiffen against him and then shiver violently for a moment or two before falling deathly still once more. His heart leapt to his throat, and he dug his heels hard into his horse's flanks shouting until the animal was forced into a gallop reckless for this terrain. He heard Azeem's shouts as the Moor struggled to keep up, but somehow he managed it.

In record time, he and Azeem made it to Lady Marian's castle.

Robin dismounted and dragged Will from the horse. Hurrying to the door, he found it open and Marian standing waiting for him. "I've had spotters on the roof. I hoped you might bring him here. Your room is ready." She gestured to the stairs, following him closely with Azeem close behind.

The room was more than ready. Somehow Marian had anticipated everything. There were towels and water and a blazing fire. There were perhaps a dozen blankets on the bed, and Robin quickly slipped Will under them. He stepped aside then allowing Azeem easy access to Will.

Azeem fussed over Will. "He is too cold. We must warm him. He may become feverish before he is well again." Azeem touched Will's side and the young man groaned weakly and tried to move away. "He has broken bones, but I will bandage him later. We must warm him."

Marian handed Robin a cup full of a hot steaming liquid. "I have made a weak broth," She said. "It's warming and he has likely not eaten in some time." She moved to the fire and brought out a bed warmer already full of hot coals. She slipped it between the sheets, much to Azeem's surprise.

"You will set the bed ablaze!" Azeem declared.

"It has been known to happen," Marian admitted, "but we will keep an eye on it."

Robin tried to get Will to take the broth, but he was still mostly unconscious, and getting him to swallow was difficult. Will could only seem to manage a few sips before it became too much for him. Robin did not move from Will's side, but after an hour, he turned to Azeem. "He seems no warmer, my friend! Surely there's more we can do."

Azeem thought for a moment. "Get into bed with him, Christian. The warmth of your body my bring him around."

Robin climbed into the bed and cradled the limp form of his only brother to his chest. It couldn't end like this. His head spun and his heart ached at the thought that he could still lose his brother—this man whom he had never known, but whose life had somehow become more important to him than his own.

Again, it was Will's stillness that terrified him. He hadn't made a move or tried to speak since the slurred attempt to say Robin's name while they were riding to Marian's home. The lifelessness was disconcerting, and more than once, Robin had to check to see if he were still breathing.

"Azeem…is he…"

Azeem cut off the question. "He is suffering from the cold. You're cursed homeland is the coldest place I have ever been. He was hung high in the air in an open area with no shoes, no shirt, no cloak…I am amazed that the infidel who put him up there allowed him to keep as much clothing as he did!" Azeem visibly attempted to calm himself. Robin had not seen him so angry in all the time he'd known the Moor.

"Forgive me, Christian," Azeem said in a quieter tone. "I do not like to see anyone suffer, and when those in power force the suffering upon those who have none, I am afraid my reason leaves me."

Robin nodded. "I understand, my friend. Do you…do you believe he will recover?"

Azeem offered a gentle smile. "I have pleaded with Allah for it to be so." He shrugged. "It is up to the Young Christian now. We have done all we can do."

_So this was it_, Robin thought. He looked down at Will's face, so still, so pale. "I have barley begun to get to know you, brother, and it seems too cruel to think I could lose you so soon." He whispered the words as he searched Will's face for something…anything.

"Listen to me, Will Scarlett. You have to fight. Do you understand?" Robin drew a shaky breath. "You are going to make it through this. There is no other option." He felt his grip around Will's still freezing form tighten though he hadn't consciously decided to do that. "You are going to make it," he said again. "You have to…because I…I need you. Do you understand that?" He waited a moment for a response that never came. "All right. Don't say anything. I'll just…I'll tell you a story." He thought for a moment, but drew a blank. Giving it more consideration, going through his memories one at a time, he found one he hadn't shared with his brother yet—because until this moment, he hadn't remembered it.

"I think you'll like this one, Will. It happened when I was a little over eight years old. There were a lot of visitors and their entourages. They met with…with our father to discuss things no eight year old could find the slightest bit entertaining. It was a long, tedious day, and, as the future Lord Locksley, I was meant to be present and presentable the entire time." He smiled ruefully. "Suffice it to say, I intended to find another way to spend my time. I was sure I wouldn't be missed, so I crept out of the main hall and retreated to the barn. I pulled out a bow and quiver my father had given me no more than a week ago and I began to practice. I shot at apples, and at sacks of grain and at ropes. I was trying to shoot at a notch particularly high in the wall, when the door swung open. The light outside was bright, and backlit like that, I couldn't see who it was until he stepped inside and my eyes adjusted.

When I was finally able to see, I realized it was my father. I was sure I was in the worst trouble of my life." Robin smiled at the memory and shifted slightly in the bed. "Instead, he stepped over to me and brought out his own bow and quiver. We practiced together, and he gave me pointers to improve my aim…" a wistful smile crossed his face and he would have wiped his eyes had he been willing to loosen his grip around his brother. He blinked rapidly and continued. "Then, my father surprised me. He brought out a dagger and he tossed it with such lack of concern as to where it landed that it stunned me when it hit the very notch in the wall I'd been trying to hit with my arrow.

"He laughed at my surprise and he showed me the dagger and how to hold it. He threw that thing a dozen times and always hit his target." He looked again at Will. "He was amazing with that blade. He told me it was a sign of dexterity and of commitment to be able to learn to throw a knife with any accuracy. He also said it was a sign of a man's hope and his willingness to lose everything even as he tried to save it. You see, a man who throws a knife either has another on him, or must lose his only way to defend himself in an effort to take down someone or something that needs to be taken down.

"Do you understand, Will? Your knife skills…you inherited those from him. Our father gave you that. He gave you your desire for justice, though you manage to hide that desire well. He also gave you your skills with words, Will Scarlett, for our father was an educated man who delighted in word play." He tightened his hold once more. "You are my father's son, Will Scarlett, and I will shout that from the mountain tops as soon as you're well enough to hear me doing it." He swallowed and ended his story in a whisper. "I promise."

Robin must have fallen asleep after the telling the tale, but something woke him.

He tried to shift position, but the soft sound repeated and stopped him. Holding still, even holding his breath, he waited for another noise.

When it came, it was a strangled cry, and it startled Robin. It was a soft sound, but it was a sound of terror. _Nightmare,_ Robin thought. He leaned closer to Will's ear and whispered. "Will, it's all right. Wake up. It's just a dream." Will tossed and turned, another sound of distress breaking through, and getting louder. "Shhh! Will, it's all right. You're not alone. I'm here. It's Robin. I'm here. You're safe."

Will tossed again, a bit more violently. "Nnn," he gasped for breath. "Nnnn…Nnnoooo!" His eyes flew open wide and he struggled weakly under the weight of the heavy blankets and furs and the restraining hold Robin had on him.

Robin spoke rapidly. "It's all right! Will, you're safe!"

Azeem and Marian raced into the room at the sound of Robin shouting.

Robin continued to talk wit Will, ignoring them for the moment. "You're fine! I've got you! I've got you!" He shifted so Will could see him more easily.

Will blinked up at his brother in obvious confusion. "Robin…" his voice was soft and raspy. "You…" he looked around. "We…I d…I don't remember…"

"What's the last thing you do remember?"

"Essex. He p-put m-me in that c-cage…he said our father…"

He closed his eyes and Robin could see he was struggling with nausea. "It's all right. Don't think about that now. Is that all you recall?"

Will thought about it a moment. "Nno…I th-think…it was s-so c-cold."

Robin frowned and looked at Azeem. The stutter worried him. Could there be something really wrong? Azeem stepped forward.

"Young Christian, now that you are awake, will you tell us if you are in any pain?" Azeem placed a palm on Will's forehead, checking his temperature.

Will shifted his attention from Robin to Azeem. He spoke haltingly almost as though it required all of his thought to form the words. "I..I'm cold. I'm. So. Cold."

Azeem nodded and spoke to Robin as Will's eyes drifted shut again. "He is warmer, Christian, but he is likely to be weak for a time. He is too tired to eat, but we must try to get him to have water at least. He was in that cage for days on end with nothing. A man may live weeks without food, but not without water."

Robin nodded as Azeem reached to the side table and handed him a cup of water. "Will, are you awake?"

"Hmmm," Will replied. 

"I need you to take a drink."

Will opened his eyes and struggled to sit up a bit. Robin slipped an arm under his shoulders, and Azeem placed a hand on the back of his head. Together they supported him as he drank from the cup. After a few mouthfuls, he flopped down again. "I can't…"

"It's all right. You did well." Robin handed the cup to Azeem who placed it on the table once more. "Are you comfortable for now, Will?"

"Throat hurts. He tried to strangle me…wanted 'satisfaction' because I said he'd killed my mother…"

Robin felt rage blossom in his heart. "Essex." He said the name as though it tasted foul in his mouth and with a vehemence and hatred that gave Will pause.

"Robin…" he asked, uncertainty and trepidation in his voice.

"I will make him pay…"

Will shook his head, but closed his eyes for a moment immediately after and Robin could see that his head must be swimming.

"There is no way to make him pay. It's his word against mine. No one would believe me, and if you go after him the way we went after Nottingham…" His mouth ran dry and he began to cough. It took several minutes and more than a glass of water to ease it.

"Shh," Robin said. "Don't fret, Will. We can talk about that later."

Will struggled to sit up and grabbed a hold of Robin's shirt. "No. You will make plans and you'll want to go after him. There's not a day in my life that has gone by since the day she died that I haven't thought about killing that man." He stopped and coughed again, but refused any water, getting control of himself and continuing. "Robin, I wasted my life hating. I hated him, I hated you and our…our father. I hated anyone who had more than me, and I hated anyone who got in my way. Don't do it, Robin. Don't set your sights on vengeance. Men like Essex will always come out on top. Men like me will always come out on the bottom…"

"No!" Robin shouted and Will shrank back a bit. "Will, it doesn't have to be that way. I want to help you…"

Will eyes dropped to look intently at the blanket. "Then prove me wrong, brother. Be here for me, always, no matter what I've done. No matter what you've done. Be my brother. No one's ever done that for me."

Robin placed a hand against Will's cheek. "That's not something you need to ask of me, Will Scarlett. The only long-term plans I have are to marry Marian and to be a better brother to you. I want to make it up to you, Will. I want to apologize to you for the thoughtless, selfish actions of a twelve-year-old boy who ruined your life."

Will smiled at Robin, but the conversation was wearing him out. He stifled a yawn and struggled to keep his eyes open.

Robin smiled back. "Get some rest, Will. I'll be here when you wake." He moved to get out of the bed, but stopped when Will clutched at his wrist.

"Don't go. Please, Robin…"

Robin could see he wanted to say more, but possibly because his throat did hurt or because he was too tired, or maybe because he was too uncertain that it was indeed his right to make demands on Robin, he said nothing else.

Robin settled back into the bed and placed a hand on Will's head, gently guiding it to rest on his chest. Will smiled and settled down. That quickly, he was asleep.

Robin watched his brother sleep. He touched Will's forehead noting that he was indeed warmer than he had been. Robin was still concerned, and would be until he was certain that Will was out of danger. He would also harbor serious concerns about Will's safety until he could be sure that Essex wouldn't try again.

"Azeem," Robin said, "We're going to need a plan."

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

By the next day, Will did develop a fever, but it was a much milder one than Azeem had anticipated. Over the course of the following week, Will did heal. The bruises faded. The fever dropped. He was still occasionally cold when it seemed warm to the others, but as it was still the dead of winter, Azeem didn't find this peculiar.

Robin spent most of his time with his brother, but the few times a day he left Will's room, he spent it working on a way to ensure his brother's safety. He'd yet to come up with anything he thought would work. Of course, he'd yet to think of Essex without feeling the overwhelming desire to force him to endure the same treatment to which he'd subjected Will.

He hated feeling this way especially knowing that it wasn't what Will wanted. Somehow, hanging in that cage for three days, Will had abandoned enough of the anger and hatred that had permeated his life to recognize that seeking vengeance would not help either of them.

Yet, Robin felt the rage course through him each time he recalled Essex's words and his attitude towards Will. Last night, he'd dreamed of Essex shoving Will into that cage and had envisioned Essex's hands wrapped around his brother's throat. He'd woken from the nightmare quite suddenly to find Will holding him and trying to calm him down.

"You called out in your sleep," Will had explained.

"Did I wake you," Robin had asked, though there were other things he'd rather have said.

Will had smiled and shaken his head. "No, I'm fine. I was awake anyway…" The way he'd looked down at the blankets once more told Robin that Will was having nightmares of his own, and the fact that he wasn't talking about them worried him. How were they to get close, to begin to connect as brothers—as they should have done years ago if Robin had only known about him—if they couldn't even speak to each other.

Robin could see they needed to speak. Will was not himself. He was healing, but his personality seemed altered. He was different. He would rarely look anyone in the eye. He would often speak softly as though hoping his words would be lost in the conversation and not acknowledged. He immediately fell silent if anyone else began to speak as though deferring to them, as though his own thoughts and words were not important.

Will's eyes had lost their fire.

Robin spoke to Azeem about it as Will would not discuss it. "He's changed somehow, Azeem."

Azeem nodded. "I have seen it, too, Christian. It was an ordeal. Perhaps it is to be expected."

"An ordeal? Azeem, he nearly _died_!" Robin felt the rage inside him once more.

"Yes, and perhaps that is the way of it." Azeem stepped closer to Robin. "Will Scarlett died that day. William of Locksley may be someone else entirely."

Those words scared Robin. "What? No!"

"We all change as we grow up, Christian. Perhaps he needed this."

Robin considered the words and their implication. "Azeem, if he's changed, it's because Essex _stole_ something from him! He _took _something…I don't know what. Pride? Self-respect? Something changed because Essex _changed_ it! And why? Essex killed Will's mother! Will dared say something about it, and the man locks him up to die of exposure." He shook his head. "It's not right!"

Azeem sighed. "Ah, Christian, of course it is not right. Have you not yet learned, despite your years in prison, and war, and dealing with the power mad Sheriff, that things will happen in this life that are not right and are not fair? It was not fair that your mother died young, that your father found solace in the arms of another and then abandoned her. He did not have to. He could have told you that he understood your feelings, but he needed her in his life. Instead he made a choice to leave her for your sake."

"What is it you're saying, Azeem?"

"Isn't it obvious? Life is not fair." He put up a hand to stop Robin from interrupting. "We can only plead our cases with Allah and ask that he help us through the times that are the least fair and perhaps that one day, it will be balanced in our lives with some good that we do or that someone else will do for our benefit."

"How do I help Will? If he wants to change, that's one thing, but this smacks of something done _to_ him not by him or for his benefit. How do I help him?"

"There is only one way, Christian." Azeem said.

"What's that?"

"Ask him."

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Lady Marian had kept an eye on the comings and goings of the Duke. She had people loyal to King Richard staying in Nottingham Castle. She wasn't sure what to do about the man, as there was no proof that he had done anything illegal except Will's word. Fair or not, no one would believe Will Scarlett, thief and one of Robin Hood's men. She had a vague idea that if King Richard were home and not abroad, she would be able to go to him with this. He was a fair-minded man, and she had always admired him when she was a little girl. He had also been enamored of her. There had never been a time when he wouldn't have time for her, and there had never been a moment when she had felt she could not go to him with something that worried her.

He had always been rather protective of her, and she had never been one to take advantage of that, but in these circumstances, surely he would see that justice would best be served by restoring Robin's lands to him and...and what? Did she expect King Richard to destroy Essex on her say so? Of course not! So What did she expect him to do?

She realized she could not write to him until she could answer that question.

What she would do was speak to Will again. Now that Robin had been forced to return to Sherwood for a few hours to let people know how Will was and to see if they were prepared for winter now that they'd had to move camp to compensate for the men who'd abducted Will having found their secret base.

He would be back in a few hours, so she moved swiftly. She stopped at the kitchen first and prepared a small meal. Will didn't have a large appetite at the best of times, and since his most recent ordeal, it had been difficult to get him to eat very much.

Azeem seemed to think his appetite would improve, but she wasn't sure. It was less to do with a lack of hunger, and more to do with something else entirely. What that could be, she didn't know.

Taking the small pastries, which she hoped would prove a temptation to a young man who likely hadn't eaten much in the way of sweet treats in his life, she went to Will's room.

Azeem was just stepping out. "He is awake, My Lady," Azeem said. "I think he has improved. He is more alert than I have seen him in some time!"

"Oh, that is good news, Azeem!" Marian smiled as he held the door open for her.

Once inside, she set down her tray and turned to look at Will. "Will! It is good to see you looking so much more yourself."

Will smiled and looked down for a moment. "It's kind of you to let me stay, Lady Marian."

"I thought you might like some of these cakes. They're fresh!" She handed them over to him.

"Thank you. I'm not hungry."

The smile fell from her face and her shoulders sagged. "Will, that really can't be true."

"What?" He seemed startled.

"You don't eat enough to keep a bird alive." Marian sat in a chair set beside the bed. Usually, Robin sat here. "Will, I was hoping you might let me know what was done to you."

Will blinked rapidly. "I…I thought…I mean…you kn-know what happened. Essex took me from Sherwood and locked me in a c-cage for days. Robin and Azeem found me…"

Marian was nodding. "I do know that, but…Oh, Will, what happened to you out there? You must see there's been a change! You're not the same brash young man you were. Did he hurt you?"

"He locked me in that cage. I…I don't remember much." He looked down once more.

"There!" Marian said in triumph. "That. Before your abduction, you didn't look away when you spoke to me…to anyone. Now you won't look anyone in the eye. Why is that?"

"I don't know…what…" he sighed. "I really don't know."

"Oh, Will…"

"Maybe I've just started to believe what people say about me." He laughed and it was so bitter a sound that Marian flinched. "John tells people I'm full of piss and wind. Robin calls me a coward. The guards in Nottingham's dungeons said that scum like me doesn't deserve to live. I've heard similar things all my life. Maybe I've just decided to believe it all."

"Will…Robin and John, they respect you…"

"No!" Will yelled and then put a hand to his head as though the sound or the act of yelling had hurt him. "I mean…I'm…Damnit!"

"What, Will? What is it?" Marian's concern was growing by the minute.

"Do you know what happened when those men came to Sherwood? Do you know what they would have done if I hadn't given myself up? If I had gone hunting with Will and the others and hadn't been there?" He sighed, and made a visible effort to lower his voice. "Do you know what Robin did? When Fanny stopped by to visit, she told me how worried he'd been. She told me that he couldn't think, or eat, or do anything except look for me…that he got short tempered, that he became obsessed with finding me! I can't let him…I won't let him throw away his life for me. What if it happened again?"

His frustration was palpable. His confusion was more so. As Marian observed him, it seemed as though he were truly searching to make sense of what he felt, as though he couldn't find any reason or description that would help him to understand any of it let alone make her understand.

"I know what I'm like, Lady Marian. I see red whenever I meet a pompous nobleman. I lash out at authority. I never hold my tongue even if it is in my best interests." He looked down again and when he looked back at her, tears stood in his eyes. "Lady, do you understand? I could be responsible for Robin's death. No one will thank him for embracing a peasant bastard and inviting him to join polite society. No one will thank him for turning his back on the nobles who insult his bastard half-brother, and that's what he_ did_. He told Essex who I was and he chose my side over his."

"Will," Marian whispered. "He loves you."

Will laughed and again the bitterness and anger that she remembered from what seemed like long ago, back before she'd known they were brothers, was evident. It had been tempered, diminished, since Robin and Will had begun to try to bond as brothers. It had been gone since his return from Essex's prison. That it had made its reappearance now seem all the more surprising. She looked at Will as he spoke.

"He _can't _love me. He doesn't _know_ me. He loves the _idea_ of having a brother. Nothing more. It isn't _me_."

Marian couldn't argue that. The two had spent little time getting to know each other in the weeks since the Sheriff's demise. Initially, Will had been injured and Robin had been worried. Then the realities and repercussions of the confrontation with the Sheriff had become clear. The outlaws were still outlaws, and the power struggle over who would take Nottingham's duties, castle and lands, was still unsettled. Some were calling Robin a hero while others called him a murderer.

Robin had confessed to her only days ago that he understood Will's hatred and anger towards him in the early days, and only hoped to have a chance to remove all doubts his brother might have as to his place in Robin's world.

Of course, since Robin's world was undefined…nobleman, landowner, Lord or outlaw…what could he hope to share with Will.

Will's own crimes seemed to have accumulated as well. Aside from thief and poacher, the crimes that had sent him into Sherwood to begin with, he was being called a traitor to Robin Hood by some who knew little of the true story, and another story, no doubt circulated by Essex, described him as a man willing to kill for no reason, and painted him as some sort of mercenary willing to do absolutely anything for money.

Considering how little in the way of worldly possessions Will had, it was laughable.

She put a hand on Will's arm. "Will, he wants nothing in the world more than to get to know you. There just hasn't been time. You'll give him the chance, won't you?"

Will sighed and the bluster left him. "A chance? To get to know me…" he shook his head, and she could see his weariness. "I've caused him nothing but trouble. He was better off not knowing." His leg twitched and Marian thought if he were outside right now he might be running away by now.

"Not knowing? About you?" She was about to argue the point when a light knock on the door interrupted. It swung open and Azeem entered.

"Lady Marian, riders approach. Six at least. Are you expecting anyone?"

Marian stood. "No. Stay here with Will. I'll see to it."

Azeem nodded, and Marian left hearing Will's complaint as she closed the door behind her. "I don't need a watcher. You should go…"

She had no doubt he was telling Azeem to accompany her—to keep her safe for Robin's sake. She could almost laugh at it. Will was worried about Robin, obviously felt some sort of affection or something for him, yet he would not allow that Robin felt the same in return. The boy was stubborn as…well, as Robin.

By the time she reached the front door and stepped outside, the riders had arrived. "Good morning!" She called out cheerily as she could manage. "Your Grace," she said in surprise as the Duke climbed down from his mount. "What a delightful surprise! I wasn't expecting you. I do hope it's good news that has brought you to my door." She smiled and put a hand to her cheek as though she were surreptitiously hiding a flush as any woman flattered by an unexpected gentleman caller might. She found it worked in her favor if men underestimated her.

"Delighted to see you, Lady Marian, as always." He looked around. "Have all the peasants gone?"

"Well, yes, they were only here for about a week or so." She forced surprise into her voice that he might have thought otherwise. "I offered to let the children stay, but the families have moved on, most going to stay with relatives in other towns. I'm sure very few of them have stayed in the area."

"Have you heard from Locksley?"

"No, I haven't seen him. Why is there some problem?"

"No, no. Not at all. What of that thief claiming to be his brother…"

"Your Grace, is there some reason you're looking for Robin Hood and his men? I haven't heard of any robberies. Has something happened?"

The Duke looked irritated and glanced around as though distracted.

"Oh," Marian squealed as though something had just occurred to her. "You must think me a terrible hostess. Please, come inside! Let me get you some refreshment!"

He followed her inside and she made the usual banal conversation as she went to the kitchen and retrieved some of the pastries she'd given to Will. She poured him a drink as well, and when she set it all before him, he made the expected bid to persuade her to move to London as a place more befitting her social status. She demurred and turned the conversation back to the purpose of his visit.

"You've not seen Robin Hood or…what was that boy's name…Scarlett?"

She smiled. "I've told you already, Your Grace. I haven't."

His hand shot out and took her wrist so suddenly that she let out a yelp of surprise. "Telling lies is something we all do at court from time to time, but you, My Lady, are in no position to be less than honest."

"Your Grace, please release me!" She struggled, moving her wrist in a vain attempt to free herself.

"If I were to return to Prince John and tell him how sympathetic you are to Robin Hood's cause, that he and his men have been known to take refuge in your home…"

"Threats, Your Grace? What is it you want?" Marian demanded tiring of his chatter.

"I want to know where that boy is! He is not…where he should be."

"Where you left him?" Marian asked pointedly.

He still had not released her wrist and now he pulled it toward him and in a swift move, twisted it around so that he now held her arm painfully twisted behind her back.

"Release me!" She made it a demand with as imperious a tone as she could manage.

To Be Continued


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Note: I had a bit of trouble with the chapters a while ago, so please be sure you've read all of the previous ones or you might be a bit lost.

Fair Warning: I think there will only be another chapter or two of this story, because I'm closing in on the ending I had in mind, but I am working on an idea for a sequel as well.

Please read and review.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 12: Worth the Fight

When Lady Marian had left his room, Will tried to persuade Azeem to go along with her. Azeem shook his head.

"No, Young Christian. I will be nearby if I am needed, but how would the Lady Marian explain the presence of a Moor in her home to some English noble? It's better I stay with you." Azeem, Will noted, stayed near the slightly ajar door, his hand resting on the hilt of his scimitar.

They sat in a companionable silence, both straining to hear any sounds from Marian that might indicate she was in some sort of trouble.

Finally, Will chanced speaking to the Moor. "You've known Robin a long time, haven't you?"

"That I have, Young Christian, though perhaps meeting a man while in prison makes it seem longer than it actually is."

"Is…was he…" He felt anger at his own inabilities to speak. Determinedly, he raised his head and for the first time since Essex had locked him in that cage, he voluntarily looked someone in the eye. "Is he different now than when you first met him?"

Azeem smiled. "When I met him, he was a prisoner in a prison thousands of miles from his home. His only duty in life remained caring for his friend, Peter. The inmates soon learned that to harm one of them was to invite attack from the other. He often went without, giving his food to his friend, offering some of his water if the other man was ill. His final act in that prison before escaping was to insist they cut off his own hand rather than his friend's because the other man was too sick to live through such an ordeal. The guards decided to take both. Allah, be praised, he managed to turn that act of sacrifice into a chance at freedom, and he agreed to free me as well. His friend died outside those prison walls…a free man." He seemed lost in thought for a moment, but soon remembered his audience. "Now, he is a man with purpose, with hope, and with a future to build for his family."

Will tried to piece together what he'd heard with what he knew of his brother. Hearing about Peter, and knowing from other conversations that the man had been the Lady Marian's brother, he couldn't help but wonder if Robin was looking out for him as a result of no longer having Peter to occupy his time. From what Azeem said, Peter had needed a lot of looking after. Maybe that absence in his life accounted for Robin's obsessively looking out for Will's safety.

Before he could ask another question, they heard Marian's voice, loud and demanding. "Release me!"

Will looked at Azeem and they both dashed for the door. Azeem stopped Will. "You should stay here. You are not yet yourself. I will go."

Will wanted to argue, but Azeem shoved him back inside and closed the door behind him as he left. Will waited to a count of ten and then tried the door. Azeem had locked it. Frustrated, he put an ear to the keyhole hoping to hear what was going on and hoping to hear that Azeem had handled it. Instead, he heard raised voices, though he couldn't make out much. When he heard Marian scream once more, "No!" He stood back and raced at the door with all his strength. It didn't budge. He tried again, but nothing seemed to happen. He glanced around the room looking for inspiration and saw a second key resting on a table by the window. He raced to it, hoping it was another key to the door and not a key to some strongbox or jewelry case.

Luck was his and the key opened the door. He pushed it slowly open and scanned the hallway before moving towards the staircase.

As he crept down the stairs, decided discretion would get him nowhere if Azeem and Marian were in trouble. He paused long enough to pull it from its sheath and allowed the familiar weight to comfort him. When he heard the clash of blade on blade he moved more quickly. He could see through the doorway that Azeem was in a fevered battle with several armed men. Surely, there were too many for him.

He listened for a moment trying to work out who was in there and what exactly was happening.

That's when he heard the familiar voice. It stopped him. To his shame, his heart pounded and he felt fear blossom somewhere inside.

"Do not pretend that you do not know what is going on. That man is one of Locksley's." 

"What do you want? Why do you want Will Scarlett?"

_Me?_ Will thought. Why would the man come here looking for a man he must think he killed?

"You don't need to know why. Where is he?"

Before she could answer, Will saw Azeem strike a solid blow against two attackers, slicing through one arm to the bone and lashing out with a solid fist to break another man's nose with a great spurt of blood.

A moment later, one of the other men had crept behind Azeem and before Will could call out a warning, the Moor was down. He lay unmoving on the floor his scimitar out of reach.

Will felt his rage return tenfold and he moved inside the room. He held his knife out menacingly and crouched low. His muscles tensed as he prepared himself to spring on the Duke and his eyes blazed their hatred, which he could express in only one way. A low, almost feral growl emanated from the same place as the rage he'd tried to keep in check until now.

He saw Marian staring at him, but he wasn't sure if she was shocked by his appearance and if so, why. She put a hand to her mouth, and Will knew she didn't dare call out to him for fear of distracting him.

The Duke had no such compunctions. "Ah! Will Scarlett! I don't know how you can be here, but I when I saw the empty cage open and on the ground with no sign of you, I was sure I'd be able to find you if I came to see Lady Marian."

Will didn't react. His attention was on the men standing between him and Marian. He lashed out at one, but caused only a superficial scratch with his knife. He kicked and another's sword fell to the ground. Two more backed away as he turned and literally growled at them.

He turned then towards Essex and Marian. He was focused on the knife, the Duke, and the proximity of every weapon in the room to Marian. He knew only one truth; he would not let the love of his brother's life be hurt. "Let go of her." He spit the words out as though begrudging the time and effort it took to say them.

The Duke blinked as though surprised and he loosened his grip slightly on Marian's wrist. Will had been waiting for that. He leaped forward and slashed his knife catching the Duke's sword hand. The Duke let out a yelp of surprise and turned angry eyes on Scarlett, but releasing Marian altogether.

Will grinned in triumph.

"You will regret that, Scarlett!" The Duke hissed.

Will didn't bother replying. He hefted his knife in preparation to throwing it, knowing he could end this man's life as surely as he knew the man would gladly end his. Before he could do a thing, he heard Marian call out.

"Will!"

From then, time blurred. He felt a sharp pain on the back of his head and he fell. He'd fallen before in his life, of course, but this blow cut away any thought he might have had, or any control he might have hoped to have. He fell to the floor in a heap.

"Will!" Marian screamed. "Leave him alone! Will!"

Will blinked, but his vision refused to clear. He shook his head, but that only worsened the buzzing in his ears. He tried to focus, tried to keep his hold on consciousness. He heard Lady Marian use a tone he'd never heard from her before.

"You have attacked guests in my home…"

"Do not think you can play that game, Marian. My only decision now is whether I bring you to London as my prisoner and report all of your nefarious activities to Prince John, or if I kill you now and lay the blame at the feet of either Locksley, or this man who would claim him as a brother." He sighed as though it were the biggest conundrum he could imagine. "There are benefits to both, you see."

Will struggled to sit up, but the men on either side of him forced him down. He glanced up at Marian, watched helplessly as Essex moved toward her. He struggled against an overwhelming sense of failure. He had not saved her. He had let Robin down and he had doomed Marian.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

The air was cold and the sun had already begun to set as Robin rode towards Marian's home. It had taken longer than he'd expected to take care of business in Sherwood. Emotions were running higher than usual since Will's abduction. People had generally assumed they were safe here in Sherwood, and the fact that several men had found their way there and had managed to threaten everyone and make off with Will had shaken a lot of confidences.

Robin had spent some time being reassuring and making plans upon plans to cover any what-if scenario anyone seemed inclined to conjure. It had been tiring and tedious, especially with his mind being on Will's recovery. He'd spoken to Marian and had told her that he understood his brother's rage and frustration. He'd told her it was perfectly reasonable considering his upbringing, his losses, and the life that circumstances had forced him to live.

He could only hope he could find a way to forge a real relationship with Will and win over his trust if not his actual affection.

He was approaching Marian's when he saw something troubling. In the courtyard were at least half a dozen horses, each richly appointed with expensive saddles.

One horse was very familiar. He would recognize it anywhere, but here, where he had last seen it, it was painfully obvious that something serious was happening at Marian's. He slipped off his horse and let it wander. He sneaked through the gate and approached the door cautiously. Essex and his men must have entered in a hurry because no one had bothered to close the door. He waited briefly in the doorway and scanned the area for some sign of where everyone was. Silently, he moved inside sliding along the left hand wall, his sword at the ready. He saw one of the Sheriff's men, his attention in the next room on whatever drama was unfolding there. Drama it was, since he could hear muted voices, and the clash of swords.

He heard Marian call out. "Will!"

He tried to follow the conversation, but he had to keep half his attention on the best way to get inside that room. He saw it in an instant and took hold of a braided cord that hung from a nearby drapery. He took hold of it and climbed, eventually swinging to the balcony area where Marian's friend and servant, Sarah, had first stood and impersonated her mistress so Marian could disguise herself and attack him. He got into position and heard Marian speak again.

"You have attacked guests in my home…"

"Do not think you can play that game, Marian. My only decision now is whether I bring you to London as my prisoner and report all of your nefarious activities to Prince John, or if I kill you now and lay the blame at the feet of either Locksley, or this man who would claim him as a brother. There are benefits to both, you see."

"Do describe them to us," Robin called out. He could see he'd startled both Marian and the Duke, who looked up in surprise.

"Locksley. Come to join the fun?"

"You and your men will leave." He said it calmly, and hoped the Duke would take his advice.

"Or what?"

"Or you will regret it." 

"Locksley, I was helping you when I took that boy and locked him up. A liar like that claiming to be of noble birth…" 

"He is my brother," Robin said, looking to where Will still sat upon the floor looking so dazed, Robin wasn't sure he knew what was going on anymore. "…And if he is seriously injured, there is no where you can hide that I will not find you." He took hold of another hanging cord and dropped down to stand before the Duke, his sword ready, and his eyes flashing like fire.

The Duke, of course, swung his blade. He was a big man, not as big as John Little, of course, but he was strong and when his sword hit Robin's the sound echoed in the high-ceilinged hall.

Marian moved to help, to throw something…anything, but The Duke's men grabbed her arms and held her though she struggled against them.

Robin met the Duke blow for blow, parry for parry. They were nearly evenly matched, but Robin was fighting to protect and Essex was fighting to destroy.

Robin attacked beating the Duke back only to have the tables turned and be beaten back himself. The Duke circled around forcing Robin into a position where he could see Will, still sitting on the floor, a shaky hand to an obviously woozy head. The Duke smiled at Robin, and called to a henchman. "Hurt Scarlett, boys. Make him suffer!" With that order still ringing through the room, the Duke attacked Robin, who missed a parry.

Will screamed and the sound of a boot hitting flesh reached Robin. Robin saw Will trying to curl away from the kicks the men inflicted, but in that moment he lost track of the Duke's sword. He knew better. These were amateur mistakes he'd chided his men about when he'd first taken command of Sherwood's outlaws. The Duke's blade made a shallow cut on Robin's right leg. Robin hissed, but continued to fight, turning now, his back to Will and unable to see what the Duke's men were doing to him. The Duke, heartened by the small victory, renewed his efforts and in another few blows, Robin's sword clattered to the floor. Marian screamed.

The Duke stepped menacingly close. "I will have satisfaction after all." He said in a whisper, and he smiled. He drew back his arm to deal the final blow and end Robin's life.

There was a sound of blade through flesh, and Marian screamed, but Robin simply looked around in confusion. Marian realized only then that Robin was unharmed, but the Duke had the hilt of a dagger protruding from his throat. He made several hacking noises, then blood bubbled up between his lips and he fell limply and wide-eyed to the ground.

Robin turned to see Will still half-crouched, muscles tensed as though ready to attack with his bare hands. Blood ran down his hands and there was splatter on his face and clothes. The two men who'd been kicking him moments ago were sprawled across the floor with their throats cut. The look in Will's eyes was still murderous. He stood slowly and walked towards the dying man. "No," he said to the dying Duke. "_I_ will have satisfaction."

The Duke's eyes widened in recognition of Scarlett and understanding of what had happened before he drew his last breath.

The Duke's last remaining men moved towards Will, but Azeem had risen and retrieved his blade the moment Will had let his dagger fly. Azeem brandished the blade to stop anyone approaching Will.

"I suggest you find a new master," Azeem said, and the men took his advice and fled.

Will continued to stare at the dead body of the Duke. Robin came up next to him. "Will?" He asked, afraid to touch his brother or to speak too loudly lest he call attention to what Will had done. He'd seen men in the Holy Land fall to pieces after killing one man. Will had just killed three.

Will didn't move. He didn't blink. He stared at the dead Duke almost in fascination. Robin moved closer and stepped between his brother and the body of the Duke. Slowly, Will's attention drifted up to Robin's face. "Robin?" He blinked and it seemed to Robin that Will hadn't even been aware that he was standing there beside him.

Robin nodded.

"Are you all right?" Will asked softly, his hand tentatively reaching toward his brother before stopping, and shaking slightly, falling back to his side.

Robin laughed at the question. He'd been about to ask the same. "I'm fine, Will. You saved my life."

Will shook his head. "I didn't…"

"You did. It's over. You can rest now."

"Rest?" Will asked. He glanced from Robin to Marian to Azeem and finally back to Robin. He smiled, but there was no strength in it. "I…" he put a hand to his head and swayed slightly on his feet. Robin put a hand on his arm and helped him to a chair.

Marian left to find bandages and Azeem looked at Robin and Will. "You will both need attention, Christian." He told Robin.

Robin gestured to the cut on Azeem's arm. "Don't forget yourself!"

"It is nothing. A mere scratch." He smiled and Robin returned it, though he didn't believe the Moor's injury wasn't at least a bit more serious than he claimed. Marian came back with supplies, bandages, medicines and herbs.

Robin let Azeem and Marian fuss over Will and himself as he looked his brother over. "Will?" He didn't like how it seemed to take Will several moments longer than usual to respond. "Will? Are you all right?" He knew it was a stupid question, but it was a way to get Will talking.

Will looked down again, and Robin reached out a hand to stop him. "Not again, Will Scarlett. Look at me. Tell me what's happened to you."

Will opened his mouth and closed it quickly. He hissed when Azeem touched his head, but his eyes never strayed from Robin's. "He's dead." He said, and his words were filled with disbelief as though the Duke's death was the single most unfathomable thing he'd ever heard.

Robin nodded. "He is."

Will moved slightly trying to get another look at the dead body, but Robin didn't permit it. He put a light, restraining hand on Will's arm and shifted so he couldn't see the corpse. "No, Will. There's no need to look. He's well and truly dead."

Will looked at his own hands, splattered with blood and Robin followed his gaze. Will was dazed. He'd seen this in the Holy Land as well. He removed his cloak and draped it over Will's shoulders.

"I thought he was going to kill you." Will confessed, his shaking, bloody hands reaching up to take hold of Robin's.

"He was," Robin confessed. "He'd gotten the better of me."

"I couldn't let him. I couldn't." He repeated those words several times, and Robin looked at Azeem.

The Moor handed Robin a few herbs. "A light tea of these herbs will settle him."

Marian reached over and took them and rushed off to the kitchens to prepare it.

Robin looked at Will once more. "Will," he said interrupting the litany Will continued to repeat. "It's all right. It's over. You don't have to worry about him any more."

"I was worried about _you,_" Will said, clearly misunderstanding Robin. "I…" he swallowed. "I cannot stay with you, Robin. I know that now. He's made me see it. You have a life to live and I am a danger to you. You cannot go around telling nobles that I am your brother. I am nothing. Scum like me doesn't deserve to live."

Marian had returned and gasped when she heard those words. "He's said that to me before, Robin."

Robin looked up at her in surprise. "When?" 

"He said he's decided to believe the things he's heard all his life. That he is scum that shouldn't live, that he…" she looked at him pointedly. "that he lacks courage…"

Robin closed his eyes and shook his head. Those hasty, harsh words had haunted him since he'd said them, and now to learn they haunted his brother as well was more than he really wanted to consider.

Robin looked his brother in the eye, and Will found himself compelled to return the gaze. "I have let it go until now, but I will not listen to you say such things about yourself. You've very nearly raised yourself, and you are one of the finest men I've ever met, Will Scarlett."

Will smiled, but there was no joy in it. "If I'm one of the finest men you've ever met, you need to get out more, Robin Hood." He sobered. "I'm serious, Robin. If Essex were not now dead, he'd be making things difficult for you. If you tell people I'm your brother, you do yourself more harm than you know."

Robin smiled. "Will, I don't care about that. You _are_ my brother. _You are my father's son_. I will not deny you now that I know the truth."

"But…"

Robin shook his head. "No. No more, Will. You must rest, and Azeem has his own injuries to see to." He looked around the room. "And we have some cleaning up to do. Marian cannot have Essex and his men littering her floor."

"I can help…" Will started to get up, but Robin would not let him. "You will rest. Azeem and I can handle it."

"What of the men who got away?" Will asked. "They know what I did. There will be a warrant for my arrest before long. I've killed three men, at least one of them a man of rank. That is a hanging offense, Robin, and there's no sign of the pardons we hoped to have by now." He glanced at Marian. "Pardon me, My Lady, but I mean no offense."

"No, no offense taken. My cousin, the King is hard to find, apparently."

"He is right, Christian. He will have a price on his head by tomorrow morning." Azeem finished cleaning Robin's wounds and started on his own.

"You and I will clean up this mess, and we'll dump the bodies somewhere between here and Sherwood. We head back there at dawn." He looked at his brother and Marian. "All of us."

Marian protested. "I can't…"

"Marian, there will be questions."

"There's no one to ask them as yet. The Sheriff hasn't been replaced," she insisted.

"It isn't safe for you here."

"I will not leave my home!" Marian declared, fire in her eyes.

"It makes no sense for you to remain. You've sent letters to the King. There's nothing more for you to do!" 

"If I leave, I may not be able to return!"

"Lady Marian, please, you know he's right. I've caused this trouble for you. I never meant to. I never meant to cause you harm." Will shook his head and stared once more at his bloody hands. "I know Sherwood is no home for a Lady, but staying here will put your life in danger…because I killed a Duke in your home. Please…" he took her hands then, his eyes wide and pleading. "…don't let me cost you your life."

Marian looked from Will to Robin, unsure how to reply. Seeing how serious he was and that he'd worked himself into a state, she embraced him. "Will, don't take on more responsibility than is rightfully yours. If it means so much to you that I go, I will begin packing now."

Will smiled, and Robin watched Marian put action to words as she swept from the room listing things that she'd need to take with her.

To Be Continued


	23. Chapter 23

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 13: Moving On

Will Scarlett watched as Azeem tended his own wounds. Occasional help from Robin was grudgingly accepted, but if he could manage it on his own, he did it himself. Robin had just excused himself to try to hurry Marian along. Will found himself alone with the Moor and realized with surprise that he'd grown to rely on the man's presence, his advice, and his knowledge of Robin.

He had no real knowledge of Robin. What he knew, he'd learned from Azeem. Though he had come to realize that Robin had become protective of him, he had failed to predict his behavior in all other respects. He had thought Robin was a spoiled rich boy who was using him and the others of Sherwood to fight his own war. He had thought Robin would turn and run when things got difficult. He had thought Robin would turn him away once Will made the claim about his parentage. He had been so wrong.

Now, Will wished he could speak…to Robin or Azeem…he wished he could ask questions and answer them and make sense of things. Robin had wanted him to speak as well, but somehow, when Robin was asking him questions and trying to ascertain his health and state of mind immediately following the deaths—_Murders_, whispered a voice in his head—of the Duke and his men, Will had found himself not without words, but without any desire at all to say them.

He watched Robin leave to help Marian, and felt oddly bereft. It was as though some vital part of him had left the room, and he wondered at that, but his brain was too sluggish, too tired to work out what it meant.

Azeem's self-ministrations completed, the Moor stood and moved to look at the three corpses that littered Marian's floor. Will's gaze followed and he found himself staring at the Duke's wide-open eyes. The look of shock was still there, but it had taken on a macabre and frightening aspect that made Will want to look away, though he found he could not.

He stared into those dead eyes and relived the death of his mother. His mind was quick to show him past agonies, and his imagination was quicker to torture him with what ifs. His mother's death had been a hard one. She had screamed in agony and pain. He had gone to sleep that night with her screams ringing through his head, and to his great shame, he'd awakened everyone in Fanny's sister's household a few hours later when the nightmares had begun. She'd been angered by his presence since Fanny had dragged him there, and though he'd pretended not to hear it, he had heard every word she'd said to Fanny against him and his mother. Fanny, however, had not been swayed. Fanny had threatened her sister telling her that if she threw Will out, Fanny would go with him. That had bought him a night, but no more. The next day, Fanny had taken him back to her own home. He had never felt welcome anywhere after that. He always assumed that, if he'd been welcomed, it was just an act of politeness or of duty, so he never stayed long.

As he stared at the dead eyes of the man who had killed his mother, he felt none of the satisfaction he had thought he might, had told the Duke he would have. Instead, nightmares awoke and some of them featured him in that cage.

He hadn't believed he'd make it out of that cage alive. He'd clung to the hope of rescue at first. He'd believed—hoped—Robin would find him, but the longer he been in that cage, the more he'd been sure he would not make it out again. That was when his father had appeared. It was his imagination, surely, but while it had seemed almost natural at the time, in looking back at it, he was frightened. Why had his fevered brain conjured those images? Why not his mother? It felt like he was betraying her somehow by allowing himself to see his dead father instead of her. He'd heard his father tell him to hold on, but he had tried to ignore him. Seeing a dead man had to mean he was losing his mind, and he hadn't been able to bear it. His father had gotten insistent after a time and Will had had to turn and look him in the eyes.

To his surprise, the ghost like image did not resemble the corpse he'd seen hanging in the cage, but rather he seemed strong, young, and alive…if a bit transparent.

What did you say to the ghost of a dead parent who'd abandoned you? Will's brain hadn't supplied an answer, so he'd just stared at the image.

"_Will?" _

"_Why? Why did you abandon us?" He'd replied._

"_I didn't know." His father's ghost had supplied the words._

"_It's almost as if we're having a conversation," he'd laughed to himself, and with a look of sadness on his ghostly face, his father had disappeared. Momentary triumph gave way to fear. Better to be crazy and talking to a ghost than sane and completely alone. "Don't leave! Don't leave me…not again!" He called out to his transparent father, but he was too tired and the brief conversation had sapped his strength. He passed out after the ghost disappeared. _

The eyes of the dead Duke were not disappearing, and Will felt oddly cold as he stared at them. He felt a shiver run down his spine and he ran his hands up and down his arms to try to make himself warmer. When that failed, he sat, arms crossed over his chest and sat there unable to tear his eyes from the sight.

He began to rock forwards and back, though he didn't think it was for warmth.

"Will?"

For a moment, Will thought his father's ghost had returned. He didn't move, though. He lacked the energy to reply, and, he reasoned, a dead man couldn't really harm him if he chose not to respond.

"Will?" 

Persistent as his father's ghost seemed to be, Will vowed to ignore it. He rocked back and forth, his eyes still glued to the dead man.

"Will!" Hands grasped his shoulders and shook him lightly. He blinked into Robin's worried face.

"Robin? What…what is it?" He saw Azeem also peering at him with concern written across his face, though Azeem's glance bounced between Will and Robin.

Robin breathed out a heavy breath. "What do you mean 'what is it'? You were staring at him…" Robin gestured to the Duke. "…and you were rocking and muttering…"

"What? What was I muttering?"

"You said, 'don't leave'…Will, I won't leave you…I'd never do that."

Will blinked rapidly. He was still rocking forwards and back, and with effort, he stopped himself. He forced himself to close his eyes, and he shook his head. "Sorry," he said, "Nightmares."

Robin almost laughed. "You weren't asleep…"

Azeem stopped Robin and pulled him aside. Robin cast furtive, terrified eyes to him once or twice during the conversation, and Will felt his own eyes drift as though drawn to the Duke once more. The rocking started again, but almost immediately, Robin and Azeem stood before him, blocking his view of the Duke.

"Azeem, let's get him out of here."

Azeem nodded. "I will take him upstairs. He must have blankets if he is to make the journey to Sherwood in this cursed English weather."

Robin interrupted. "No, I'll take him." 

Will was irritated now. "Stop talking like I'm not here!"

"Will," Robin said, "I'm sorry…but, you weren't yourself."

Will looked away in confusion taking in the room, the bodies still on the floor, and shook his head hoping to clear it. "I'm all right," he said as he turned to look at Azeem and Robin. "I was just…lost in thought, I suppose."

"You're shaking," Robin told him as he sat down next to his brother.

"I know. I can't stop…" He glanced at his shaking hands and saw the blood there. Instantly, he felt the emotion of that moment, the anger, the rage, the overwhelming need to save his brother from the Duke lest the man be responsible for taking his family from him for a second time…he felt his stomach churn, and then he was bolting for the door. He knew Robin and Azeem followed, but all he could think about was getting outside where either the shock of the cold air would snap him out of this or at least he would be saved the humiliation of being sick all over Lady Marian's floor.

He threw open the door and raced outside falling instantly to his knees. He'd eaten little in the preceding days, but that would not dissuade his rebellious stomach. He heaved until his stomach muscles ached and then he heaved some more. When he was finally through, he dropped from knees and hands to lie on the ground on his back. He was still shaking, almost violently, and he felt weak in absolutely every sense of the word. Embarrassment sent a warm flush to his face, and he closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see either Robin or Azeem.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Robin followed Will out of Marian's home with Azeem close behind. He'd put a sympathetic hand on Will's back and found himself supporting his brother's near-convulsive movements with his other hand across his brother's stomach to keep him from throwing himself head first to the ground and hurting himself.

When Will finally fell to the ground having exhausted his weakened stomach, he put a hand on his brother's head. Will was still shaking slightly, but he couldn't tell if that were muscle fatigue from having vomited or if it stemmed from his shock over having killed the Duke and his men.

He and Azeem gently helped Will to stand. They cleaned him up as best they could. They brought him inside and he willingly did as they said, moving, walking, sitting, standing, he took every direction and let himself be steered around the room.

Robin and Azeem loaded the bodies into a wagon and covered them with a blanket. They would be dumped at an appropriate place somewhere well before Sherwood, but well away from Marian's lands. He helped Marian mount her horse, and Azeem took to his own. Robin drove the wagon, insisting that Will ride with him. He needed to keep a close eye on his brother.

They'd traveled over an hour before Will spoke. It was a whisper and Robin was hard-pressed to hear it. He sat beside Robin, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands dangling down between them. His head was down, and his eyes were closed.

"I could _not_ let him take you. I couldn't! I couldn't let him kill you, brother…" He opened his eyes then, and stared into Robin's. "I would do the same again to save your life, but it's not a crime I expect the Crown to pardon. I should leave…I should go far away…maybe even abroad…when Azeem leaves for his homeland, I could go with him as far as the Holy Land…"

"NO!" Robin shouted with all the vehemence any man could muster, surprising his brother and drawing looks from both Azeem and Marian. "Will, understand this; I will not let you leave any more than you would let Essex kill me. We have only just found each other. Even if I were willing to see you go, I cannot let you go to the Holy Land. The Crusades aside, it is not a pleasant place and for a man with your lack of position…" He stopped, unwilling to hurt Will with such words, but not sure how to make his brother understand how hard life would be for him there. "You've seen how people here don't take to Azeem right off. It would be the same for you there. You'd be a stranger, and an infidel. Will, the punishment for theft is to cut off the thief's hands. There are few things a man with no hands can do to support himself." He watched Will shudder at the thought. His shaking had nearly subsided, but this seemed to start him up again.

"If the King does not see fit to pardon this crime, you and I will leave together," Robin said realizing as he spoke the words how true they were.

Will stared at him wide-eyed. "What of the Lady Marian?"

Robin wasn't sure what to say to that. He imagined that Marian might accompany them, and if they traveled far enough away, perhaps they could make a pleasant life for themselves. He shrugged. "I would have to speak to her. If she would come, she would be welcome, but I would not ask her to give up everything to be with me."

"Go on, ask," Lady Marian's voice drifted over to them.

"Marian…" Robin said, but didn't know how else to respond.

Her eyes twinkling at him, she looked at Will. "If King Richard does not pardon you, we will yet find a way to make a family, Will Scarlett, but do not sell my cousin short. He is a just man."

"I meant n-no disrespect," Will began."

"I know, Will," Marian said, then she urged her horse forward and gave the brothers some more time alone.

"Don't fret, Will, and do not think you can slip away in the night. I would only follow you."

Tentatively, Will smiled. He nodded once to himself, and the smile broadened. Robin was relieved when Will sat back on the seat and drifted off to sleep. By the time he awoke, they were home.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

By morning, the castle was spotless. No blood, no bodies, and indeed, no one living there any longer. Lady Marian had agreed to leave her beloved family home for two reasons; one was that Robin was truly concerned for her. The other was Will Scarlett. He'd seemed truly frantic about her safety, and, from his argument, she knew that he would blame himself were anything to happen to her as a direct result of what he'd done.

She had to admit, as she packed her clothes and most precious possessions, that the murder of Essex and his men would most likely make things difficult for her. Prince John might be less inclined to take an interest in the goings on in Nottingham, but once a Duke was killed, he'd be obliged to look into it or risk others of rank turning on him. She would pen another letter to her cousin, but she could only hint broadly at what had happened. If she were to commit those deeds to paper and that paper fell into the wrong hands, it would be as if she'd tied the noose around Will's neck herself.

She packed quickly and efficiently taking only what was vital or special to her. As she followed Robin, who continually glanced back to be sure she was following, she realized what a step she had taken. She was publicly committed to Robin Hood's cause now as she was to the man himself. She loved him, of course, but he had not yet asked her to be his wife, and though she suspected it was entirely because he was an outlaw, she couldn't help but think she and Robin might never marry if he were indeed waiting for a pardon before he would make a commitment to her.

She heard him talking to Will, telling him that if he weren't pardoned, Robin would stay with him. Will's question didn't surprise her. He had a low opinion of himself and undoubtedly believed that if Robin had thought through his vow, he wouldn't have made it. Robin's answer was not unexpected, and she found she didn't blame him for wanting to hold on to his family. She brought her horse alongside the wagon.

"Go on, ask," she said to him.

"Marian…" Robin said.

She smiled at him, but then she looked at Will. "If King Richard does not pardon you, we will yet find a way to make a family, Will Scarlett, but do not sell my cousin short. He is a just man."

"I meant n-no disrespect," Will said."

"I know, Will," Marian said, then she urged her horse forward and thought about these two complicated, compassionate, proud men. They were more alike than they knew, but they were also very different. Right now, the biggest similarity was the desire to learn about each other.

Her emotions were a churning mess as they arrived at the new settlement, and while she didn't like the idea of leaving her home, she could not deny that there was a charm to living here in these woods with the man she loved.

The community was serene. There was a feeling of elation and victory here, even though things were not exactly settled. They had defeated the Sheriff, and they truly believed it was only a matter of time before King Richard returned and set things right.

She glanced around the campsite. Everyone was helping in some way. The women were cooking, warm, pleasant smells permeating the air, while the children ran about the camp playing. The men prepared the weapons. They were still dependent upon them for defense as well as food, so they spent their spare time keeping them in good repair and adding to their cache.

She was more than a little bewildered by how quickly everyone seemed to accept that she was now going to live there, but they seemed to have been prepared for her arrival. As she dismounted, Fanny came to her and led her to a comfortable looking home set high in a tree. She ascended the ladder carefully and once at the door remarked to Fanny, "What a lovely home."

"Glad you think so, Lady. It's yours."

"Mine?" Marian asked.

Fanny nodded. "We built a home for you and Robin to share. We assumed he'd be bringing you back at some point, but he says he'll share with Will until you and he reach some kind of an arrangement." Fanny blushed a bit.

Marian wasn't sure how she felt about the assumption that she'd agree to such an arrangement, but she didn't dwell on it. Impulsively, she hugged Fanny.

"Thank you," she whispered, not sure why she was so overwhelmed, though she suspected leaving her family home might have something to do with it.

Fanny left her to get settled, and Marian set about making the little tree house her own. When she was finished, she sat down and drew out her pens, inks, parchment, wax and seal. She had a busy day ahead of her. She would persuade King Richard to come home or else she would find him herself.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Azeem was sharing a joke with Friar Tuck and John Little as Bull and Much began to call out. The pair was returning to Sherwood from a brief visit to Nottingham.

"Robin!" Bull called, his tone demanding immediate attention.

Azeem, Tuck and John joined Robin, Marian and Will as they gathered around Bulll who was pulling parchments from his pockets. He waved them at Robin and Lady Marian. "They said in town that you've both been charged."

Marian stared at the parchments, and Azeem could see over her shoulder that upon them were poor likenesses of the Christian and his brother. "'Wanted', Robin read. "Robin of Locksley for kidnapping. Robin of Locksley also known as Robin of the Hood has kidnapped the Lady Marian DuBois. $1000 gold pieces for his capture or the return of the Lady Marian.'"

"I've never kidnapped anyone before, My Lady. How do I rank?" Robin asked.

Marian smiled. "I have only one other time to compare it to, and as that was the Sheriff's men, I must say I'm enjoying this one infinitely more." She kissed him and turned her attention to the other parchment. Her smile fell.

"'Wanted," she read, "Will Scarlett, one of Robin Hood's men, for the murder of Henry, Duke of Essex and five of his men. He is considered armed and dangerous. $2,000 gold pieces for his capture, dead or alive.' Oh, Robin! This is much worse than I'd imagined."

Robin nodded. "I had no idea they'd lie so badly. He didn't kill five of the Duke's men, and it wasn't murder. It was a life and death fight."

Azeem stepped closer. "You knew he would be so charged, Christian. They would not have lost the chance to call one of your men a murderer."

"Yes, but I didn't count on the 'dead or alive' clause."

"Will shouldn't leave Sherwood at all, Rob," John said, eyeing Will warily. "Anyone would turn him in for that amount of money, and killing him first would make it easier to bring him in."

Tuck nodded. "He's right, Robin. These are trying times and a fortune is to be had to anyone willing to turn him in." He glanced around the camp. "Friend or foe," he said with a worried glance back at Robin.

Robin's head snapped up from the study of the posters to stare in disbelief at the Friar.

Azeem put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "He is right, Christian. We must be diligent in protecting him."

Robin looked at his brother, and Azeem could see the regret in his eyes. Will did not take well to having his movement limited. He had been living on his own for too long. Even when he'd stayed at Lady Marian's estate, he'd snuck out at night just to see the stars or to inhale the clear night air. Azeem had found him more than once, and he and Marian had conspired to keep it from Robin. Azeem had always been nearby, keeping an eye on him without being seen.

"Imprisoned already," Will said, trying to make it a joke, but Azeem could see the fear in his eyes.

Azeem looked at Robin. "I will pledge to you, my friend, that your brother will be safe while I draw breath."

"No!" Will spat the word. "I can take care of myself. I don't want anyone else hurt. Azeem, you were injured the last time."

"Not by you, Young Christian, and I was aiding the Lady at the time."

"But she was only in danger because the Duke was after me!" He turned to Robin. "Please, let me leave. I'll go far away and no one has to worry…"

"No! Will, I can't let you do that! What are you thinking? We will get through this together. I promise you."

Will shook his head, and though Azeem could see Robin had won this argument, Will was still too shaken to abandon his half-formed plan entirely.

Azeem was certain keeping Will Scarlett safe would be more difficult than saving Robin's life had been.

Over the days that followed, Azeem was always near Will Scarlett. Will made it easy. He was keeping to his home most of the time, venturing out only seldom and then only when it couldn't be avoided.

It was a week later that the young man made his vow a more challenging one to keep. The moon shone brightly through the trees and the slight breeze made it a much less chilly night than it had been in the preceding weeks. Azeem found, much to his surprise, that he was getting accustomed to the cold nights, but the slight improvement had lifted his spirits. He had taken to sleeping at the base of the tree Robin and Will shared, and when he looked up at it as he did many times during a night, he saw a dark shadow creeping downward.

He recognized Will Scarlett immediately, and he wondered if the man truly believed he would be able to sneak away so easily. When Will reached the ground, Azeem stood in front of him making the young man jump.

"Are you unwell, Young Christian?" Azeem asked.

"Azeem…no…I just…have to…" He gestured toward the trees. 

Azeem nodded. "Ah, and that is why you have packed a bag?" He took the bag in question from Will and looked inside. "Bread, fruit, dried meats…" Did you plan to be about your business so long?"

Will dropped his gaze and his stance took on an edge of defeat. "I need to go, Azeem. I need to find a way to fix this."

"How does your leaving fix the problem, Young Christian? I know you do not want to run away from your problems any longer."

"I thought I might be able to find the King,' Will admitted.

Azeem's eyes widened. "To what end? Would you be permitted an audience?"

Will deflated at the thought. "No, I don't suppose so."

"You might be recognized and turned in or killed." Azeem shook his head. "No, I cannot permit you to go."

"I have to!" Will shouted now, then glanced around as though realizing he might have woken someone else and given himself away.

"Will?" Robin's voice drifted down from above, and Will Scarlett turned away as though wanting to escape, then checked the impulse and pounded on the tree trunk in frustation.

In moments, Robin stood beside his brother.

"What's going on? Will? Azeem?"

When Will did not reply, Azeem revealed what Will had told him.

"Will? Is this true?" Robin asked.

"I need to _do_ something! We're waiting. Just waiting! We're sitting around and hoping that the King will come through for us based on letters we can't be sure he's even seen!" He hung his head and his voice was nearly a whisper. "I can't do it. I can't sit around and _wait _like this."

Azeem understood and said as much. "It is a horrible thing for someone accustomed to action to be forced to inaction." He smiled at Will. "But like all trials, it is the journey that makes us stronger, not the resolution to the problem."

"Come on, Will, let's go back to bed." Robin suggested.

Will shook his head. "I can't sleep," he admitted.

Azeem shook his head in sympathy. "I am going to return to my post," he said and settled himself at the base of the tree.

Robin took the hint and herded Will up the ladder. "You don't have to sleep," Robin told him. "We'll talk instead."

Azeem smiled when Will's face revealed that he wasn't entirely sure that was an improvement on the situation. When they were both safely inside and the flicker of a candle told Azeem they were indeed settling down to talk, Azeem settled back and cast eyes around the serene camp. "It's about time, Christian," he whispered.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Robin lit the candle and reached for a jug of Tuck's ale. He poured a cup for Will and one for himself and sat at the small table across from his brother. "Will," he began, "I understand your frustration. I share it."

"I'm sorry," Will whispered.

Robin looked startled. "What? Why?"

"I've been nothing but a burden to you since I told you who I am. The plan at the hanging…I messed that up. Then I attacked the Duke at Lady Marian's and he…"

"He _kidnapped _you, Will, and _almost killed_ you. How is any of that your fault?" Robin demanded. Just saying it brought back the feelings of helplessness and frustration he'd felt when he'd been looking for his brother.

Will cringed at Robin's tone, but he didn't answer. Robin sighed and forced himself to calm down. "Will, these things were done to you. That doesn't make them your fault. Now, why can't you sleep? Did you have another nightmare?"

Reluctantly, Will nodded. "It was the cage again…I…" He shuddered. "It feels so real. It seems like I'm there again, and when I wake, it feels like this is the dream." He looked out the window. The moon hung low and seemed larger than normal, but, Robin knew, the light was no comfort to his brother. "Did I ever tell you…I saw him…our father? I saw him in that cage.

"I tried to climb up there and cut him down, but Duncan chased me off." He allowed himself a short, derisive laugh. "I lacked the courage to return and try again."

"Courage, Will, is not something you lack." 

"You said it yourself, Robin," Will insisted.

"I was wrong. Please understand that and let it go. You saved Marian. You saved me. You saved Azeem. Those men would surely have killed us all. You have faced more challenges than many a man I knew during the Crusades." He sighed. "You have nothing to prove, Will Scarlett." 

To Robin's surprise, Will smiled. He couldn't be sure his brother wouldn't one day be plagued by doubt, but for now, he seemed to believe Robin.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to try to sleep again?" Robin asked. When Will agreed, Robin knew that though they still had a long way to go to become the brothers Robin hoped they would be, the path was set now, and he no longer feared Will wasn't interested in traveling it.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

When morning came, Azeem stood and stretched. He could tell the temperature had dropped significantly and he heard some of the others discussing snow. It was not something he was looking forward to seeing. He shuddered at the thought and moved away from the tree when Robin leaned out and waved him away.

Robin and Will came down soon after, and Will, who'd become a hero to the children because he'd saved Robin, was escorted away by the youngest of John and Fanny's children to tell the tale once more.

The young man was uncomfortable with such adulation, and Azeem thought he would rather not have to go through the telling one more time, but he would never disappoint the children. For days now, he'd dealt with watching them as they reenacted the rescue throwing sticks and pretending them to be knives and embellishing Will's bravado as only children were able to do.

Azeem took a seat by Robin as they ate their breakfast. "Did you manage to make him see he was not to blame?"

Robin sighed. "I think so. It's going to be hard for him. He doesn't think much of himself."

"He is growing. He will learn." Azeem paused, but decided to finish the statement as he'd intended. "As will you."

Robin didn't hide his confusion. "What? What have I got to learn?"

"Ah, do not be arrogant, Christian. A man has something to learn each day of his life. The day he stops learning is the day he dies."

"Yes, but you sounded like you had something specific in mind," Robin prompted.

"You take a long road home, Christian."

"What does that mean?"

"It has taken you some time to talk with your brother. It has taken you some time to talk to Marian." He shook his head as though in disbelief at the amount of time. "You have made a start with both, but only a start." He looked his friend in the eye. "These relationships cannot be collected like fine clothes or jewels or furniture. No, they must be forged like the finest sword. You must labor over their creation and once made, they must be maintained or they will lose their edges, their shine, their shape." He glanced across the camp where Will was laughing with the children.

"You're brother has been alone a long time. His life has not been an easy one. You say you want to make it easier. Do not think this can be done with titles and land and money, Christian?" He gestured to Will. "Have you seen him laugh like that before?"

Robin shook his head. "No."

"Nor have I. He needs a brother, a family. That is far more important to him than the money and castles and titles you hope to share with him." He gestured toward Lady Marian who stood nearby with Fanny watching the children and laughing as hard as they were. "Your Lady, you told me she was worth dying for, but if she is not also worth living for, if she is worth something to you only when you can give her titles and lands like you intend to give your brother, then you will lose her, Christian. You wait for something, not understanding that what is important is already yours."

He stood then, brushed the crumbs of his breakfast from his clothing and began to walk away. Just before he left Robin alone, he looked at him once more. "It is your choice, Christian, but if you do not choose wisely, you will regret it for the rest of your life."

To Be Continued


	24. Chapter 24

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 14: Loose Ends

A cold, steady rain spoiled the morning and turned the campsite into a muddy mess. Even the usually sheltering canopy of the trees offered little protection. The water slipped down tree trunks, poured off leaves and threw itself down between the naked branches of trees already losing their foliage.

The main cooking fire, always burning in the center of the camp, had been extinguished. Wood was too wet to burn properly, and no one really wanted to tend it in the midst of the deluge.

The smell of burning, wet wood intermingled with the aromas of a dozen different meals cooking in a dozen different homes. The mechanics of keeping the smoke and flame of a fire from burning down the outlaw's home came courtesy of Friar Tuck, who'd built such fireplaces for all of Sherwood's homes. He'd claimed to have come by the talent in a moment of divine inspiration, and, while the fires still needed more than the usual amount of minding, there had been no instances of a blaze having done any permanent damage.

Robin was enjoying the forced inactivity more than he should. He hadn't realized how much he'd been doing since his return from the Crusades, but, looking back, it seemed to him that this was the first day he could legitimately claim to have nothing to do.

Not so for Will. He enjoyed the constant activity of the outlaw camp. There was always someone who needed something done, or some child needing minding—which, for Will, tended to become an excuse to give the children rides upon his back or allow them to catch him while running through the camp.

No, inactivity, Robin had learned, was something Will Scarlett avoided like the plague.

Here, stuck in their home, he continued to peer up at the roof as though imploring the rain to stop. He'd fletched all of Robin's arrows, sharpened knives and swords, and tried his hand at fixing breakfast, a meal which had impressed Robin more than he'd imagined. Robin had noted, however, that the lion's share of the food had been placed before him.

He'd begun to take more notice of his brother's habits, and, he had to admit, what he saw troubled him. Will Scarlet was the sort of man who relied on misdirection. As a thief, that was understandable. Will had told him he'd once been a pickpocket. Being small for his age, he'd been able to take advantage of his size and slip in and out of crowds almost unnoticed. Rich men, Will had told him, seemed to relish carrying their money were it was easily accessible to small hands.

Misdirection must have become a part of his life, his very nature, and when he didn't want Robin to notice something, it was unlikely that Robin would notice…unless he paid close attention.

Robin hadn't accepted the large portion at breakfast. He'd taken Will's plate without saying a word and split the food much more evenly. Will had stared at him for a moment or two, and then laughed and eaten his revised portion. Robin had counted that as a victory. The next victory Robin hoped to accept was going to be more difficult, or at least more time consuming…and of course, it was down to Azeem's influence that it would be happening at all.

He watched Will in his attempts to fill the hours of forced confinement with lighting and thunder occasionally underscoring the improbability of getting outside today. When he thought it had gone on long enough, he cleared his throat.

"Will, you're jumpier than I've ever seen you." He gestured to the chair opposite him at the table. "Come, sit down. We should talk."

Immediately, Will's face became a mask. His eyes flicked momentarily to the door, and he tensed as though ready to run. Robin waited it out, and his brother visibly forced himself to calm down and take the proffered seat.

"I think there are things we need to discuss, Will, and I'm sure you must feel the same." Robin began.

Will nodded noncommittally.

"You must have questions about your father, about my childhood. I have some about your mother and your upbringing as well." He cleared his throat again. This was harder than he'd imagined it would be. "What it comes down to, Will, is that we have each missed the other's lifetime. That's a lot of ground to cover. If there's anything you need to know, you can ask me…and not just now, today. Anytime in the future if something comes up you can always come and ask me."

Will seemed a little uncomfortable, but he nodded again.

"Do you have anything you want to know?" Robin asked.

Will was about to refuse the offer, but something made him pause. "You asked me once, 'what are your intentions?' and I suppose that's what I want to know. You say you're my brother like it means something, but I don't know what it means beyond the obvious." He ran a hand through his hair. "We both know that acknowledging me in public may cause you problems. If you want to keep this between us…"

"Will…" Robin interrupted. "My intentions, since you ask, are to be sure you understand what having you for a brother means to me. Not what having a brother means, but what having you for a brother means to me. There is a connection. I have felt it. Haven't you?"

Will nodded. "I wasn't sure until the cage, but yes…I have."

Robin was confused. "What about the cage made it clear?"

Will looked down at his hands, but then he slid them under the table as though banishing them from his sight. He looked Robin in the eye. "I had a lot to think about up there and nothing to distract me from my thoughts. I realized finding you was a near miracle. That you believed me when I told you who I was, well, that was another. I've kept it a secret for so long, I barely knew what to do with the information once I'd shared it. I don't want a rich boy for a brother. I don't want someone to be family only because they can help me find a house or stay warm and fed…though I do admit to liking such things…I've done without long enough that they don't mean so much. When I was in that cage, I was seeing things." He laughed bitterly. "I thought I was losing my mind. I saw our…our father." His face flushed in embarrassment at having admitted that. "I realized only a few days ago why I saw him. I wanted you to come and save me. It was all I could think when I left Sherwood with the men who came for me. I kept thinking, 'Robin will find me. Robin will find me. Please let Robin find me.' I was scared. I lost track of time. I didn't know how long I was up there. In my mind, it felt like forever. I thought…" he looked down and fell silent.

"You thought…" Robin prompted.

"That you wouldn't come. That I'd caused you too much trouble so you'd decided not to come after me."

"Will, I wouldn't…" 

"I know that…in my head, I do know that, but I was cold and scared and hungry. I wasn't thinking clearly." He looked Robin in the eye. "I think I saw our father because I had given up in my head…but not in my heart." He looked away again. "That doesn't really make sense, though, does it?" 

Robin stood and walked around the table. He knelt at Will's feet. "It makes perfect sense. I want you to listen to me now with your head and your heart. We're not going to be best friends overnight. We have a lot to learn…about each other and about having a brother. We're going to stumble sometimes. We're going to do things that upset each other or that don't make sense to each other, but I promise you I will never give up. I will never just walk away from you. No matter what happens or what we learn about each other or what we do or say…I will always come for you."

Again, as was his wont, Will searched Robin's eyes looking for…what? Truth? Sincerity? Brotherly affection? Whatever he sought, this time, Robin knew by the smile and the armful of Will Scarlett he suddenly held, that he had indeed found it.

To Robin's utter joy, they spent the day sharing everything. The details of their years apart, though surely not every detail, were no longer mysteries. They learned each other's opinions on topics ranging from the duties of the Crown and the point of the Crusades to friendship and family.

It was on the last topic that Robin wondered if Will had learned wisdom from Azeem or if his brother were simply the naturally more intelligent sibling.

"You love her, don't you?" Will asked.

"Lady Marian? Of course." Robin replied, nonplussed.

"Why then, brother, is it taking you so long to…come to an arrangement?"

"Will, what can I offer…"

Will shook his head. "Do you think John didn't think that same thing when he married Fanny? Do you think any of your people who are married didn't wonder if they should simply because they couldn't provide for the women they loved as they wished they could? Robin…if you love her, and she loves you…well, what more do you need?"

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when he realized he had no answer to that question. "Well," he laughed, "when you put it that way I think I should run off and propose to her right now."

A loud clap of thunder and bright bolt of lightning punctuated the remark.

"Or perhaps when the weather clears," Robin laughed again.

Will joined him. "If you're trying to delay it, I suppose you can wait for a more opportune moment."

"Will, it's pouring out there!"

Will shrugged. "What better way to convince her of your sincerity than to arrive at her door in weather that would generally keep you away."

Robin stared at Will for a moment, but as had happened a moment ago, he could think of no real reason not to do as his brother suggested.

"Very well," Robin said, "I'll go now." He walked to a small box he kept on his makeshift bedside table and was out the door before Will could say another word.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

Lady Marian kept her door and window firmly shut since to open either invited the deluge into her home. She'd briefly spied others peeping out of doors and windows and giving the day up as a bad time to get out of bed. She could only hope that the rain would end soon. Days on end stuck in a tree, however well appointed, would soon grow tedious.

As she sat sewing by candlelight, she was startled by a knock upon her door. She jumped up, nearly upsetting both table and candle and dropping her needlework to the floor in her surprise. "Who…who is it?"

She heard a familiar laugh, and opened the door to see Robin, smiling and quite soaked to the skin. "What are you doing?"

"I couldn't bear the thought of a day without you in it, My Lady," he said.

"Are you mad? It's pouring with rain out there!"

"Will suggested a visit in such conditions would go a long way to convincing you of my sincerity." Robin shivered as he spoke.

"Come, sit here by my fire." She moved a chair to sit close by the carefully tended, carefully placed fire.

He sat only after she did. Taking her hand in hers, he smiled almost nervously.

"Why should Will think I needed to be convinced of your sincerity?" Marian asked.

Robin smiled. "He and Azeem seem to think I have taken too long about this business and that you would have cause to doubt me." He shrugged. "I thought they had a point."

"Business? What business?"

"The business of romance."

"Is romance a business?" She asked with a blush

"It is when you have an offer to make." He reached into a pocket and pulled out a small velvet sack. "I came by this some time ago. I wish I could say it belonged to my mother or some such thing, but the truth is my mother's things were lost when Locksley Castle was destroyed."

Carefully, he opened the sack and held a small, exquisite ring in his hand. She gasped at its beauty.

"What I'm trying to say…to ask…Marian, will you be my wife?"

Marian nodded and hugged him. The hug became a kiss, and Robin only pulled back to slip the ring on her finger.

"It's beautiful, Robin! Where on earth did you get it?"

"I found this, quite literally, in the Holy Land. As Azeem and I were leaving, we were lurking on the docks trying to find passage to England. There was a small hill where I went to pray for Peter and for Azeem and myself…that our journey would be an uneventful one. Once I'd said my prayers, I looked down and there it was. I can't explain it except to say that riches get lost in every country. I saved it in case we needed it to pay for passage. In the end, it wasn't necessary." He looked at it. "It looks like it belongs there. Perhaps Azeem was right."

"Why? What did Azeem say?"

"He told me Allah had provided the ring for a reason and one day I would know what that reason was." He shrugged again. "Perhaps it was God giving me a way to come home to the family I so desperately wanted."

She smiled and kissed him once more.

**Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves**

The days leading up to the ceremony were joyful ones. Everyone in Sherwood was excited to help with the preparations. Friar Tuck would perform the ceremony. The ladies present had begun to prepare foods and bake breads and sweet treats with their precious supply of honey. The children began to fashion decorations from whatever the forest would provide.

Azeem, Will, John and the other men insisted on getting Robin drunk the night before the ceremony, and, though he wasn't sure it was a good idea, he recognized the need for a celebration. If that celebration could be made to last several days, it could only be seen as a good thing.

The day of the wedding ceremony was a glorious one. Crisp, clear, though cold, there was no sign of rain, and indeed the sky was a lovely shade of blue with only small, white wisps of clouds.

"Are you ready, Robin?" Will asked.

"More than I can say," Robin admitted.

Will smiled, and Robin was glad of it. He'd been smiling more and looking away less since their talk during the rainstorm, and he was pleased to see it. "I've seen her," Will confessed. "She's beautiful."

"She's always beautiful," Robin said.

"You know what I mean!" Will shoved him gently, and fell into step beside him as they walked to the clearing.

Robin took his place and when he saw Marian, his breath caught in his throat.

The ceremony was solemn, but the anticipation for the moment by all present made it seem more so.

Friar Tuck was about to finish the ceremony when a voice stopped him.

"Hold. I speak."

Everyone turned to see King Richard dismount his horse, and they all fell to their knees, save Azeem, who did not know the intruder, and Marian who knew him well. "I will not allow this wedding to proceed."

"My Lord…" Robin said getting to his feet.

"Unless…I am allowed to give the bride away." Richard smiled at Marian. "You look radiant, Cousin."

"Oh, Richard," Marian said leaning up to kiss him.

"We are deeply honored, Your Majesty," Robin told the King.

"It is I who am honored, Lord Locksley," Richard said, taking Robin's hand. "Thanks to you, I still have a throne." The King addressed Friar Tuck. "Friar, proceed."

Tuck pronounced them married and the couple kissed. A great cheer echoed through Sherwood, and the celebration began. Music, food, and laughter were abundant, and the Sherwood outlaws adjusted quickly to having King Richard present.

Before long, Marian asked the King if he had received her letters. He removed them from a pouch at his belt. "I am supposing there is more to the story since you sent these."

Marian glanced at Robin and nodded.

The King caught the exchange. "Please Marian, tell me everything. I will be fair to your friends. You know that."

Marian nodded. "I do not doubt you, I just hope you can be as fair as you wish when you hear what's happened." She told him then as briefly as she was able what had happened since Nottingham's death.

King Richard nodded gravely as she related the details. "I have been to London. I stopped there on my way here to check that I still had a court to return to. Your letters implied I might not. I have seen to the plots and to Prince John."

"Then you must have seen the charges against Robin and his men," Marian said nervously.

"I have seen the charges. I just wanted to hear your version of them, Cousin." He smiled and the warmth of it surprised Robin and Marian both.

Richard looked around at the celebration. "This Will Scarlett…where is he?"

Robin felt the need to interject. "He's here, My Lord. He is my brother, and I will take responsibility for his actions."

Richard seemed amused by that. "Where is he?" The King said it a little loudly and Robin had no choice but to find his brother.

"I'll get him." Robin rose and glanced around the clearing looking for Will. He was easy enough to spot. While everyone else danced and laughed and passed the food and drink around, Will stood nearby leaning against a tree, his eyes focused on Robin, Marian and King Richard. Azeem stood close to Will speaking to him, but Will's gaze did not shift from his brother. Robin saw fear in his eyes.

Robin walked over to Will. "The King would speak to you, Will."

Will's eyes widened, and he shook his head. "I couldn't!"

"Will, he's practically kin. You are related to the King by marriage. Your brother has married the King's cousin." He put an arm around Will's shoulders. "Come, he's asked for you."

"I wouldn't know how to speak to a King," Will insisted, but let Robin lead him toward Richard and Marian anyway.

Once there, Will fell immediately to his knees, his eyes staring at the ground. Robin knew this was hard for him. Talking to any noble was hard for Will Scarlett, but this was the King. Robin could only hope this would turn out well.

"Will Scarlett?" the King asked unnecessarily.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Will admitted.

"My cousin has told me what has transpired. Do you have anything to add?"

Will shook his head, still looking down. "No, My Lord."

"Nothing in your own defense?"

That got Will to look up. His eyes wide, he snapped his head up and looked the King in the eye. "Defense? No, my Lord, the Lady Marian was there and knows well what happened." 

"She was not there when Essex hung you in a cage above a ruined castle. We have only your word for that. What proof can you give?"

Robin stepped forward, but the King's man put a restraining arm on one shoulder as Marian did on the other.

"Proof? I have none, My Lord. Only that my brother and his friend, Azeem, found me so."

"Ah," said Richard, "But they did not see who caged you."

Will nodded. "You're right. They didn't. I will not argue the point. I have no proof, only my word, and while I was not raised a nobleman, I can promise you, My Lord, that my word is a good deal better than was the word of the Duke of Essex."

Robin saw a familiar flash in Will's eyes, and while he was glad of it's return, he could not help but hope the King would be understanding of the circumstances.

To Robin's surprise, the King laughed. It was a deep and hearty laugh, and when he'd finished, he put a hand on Will's shoulder and helped him to rise. "Well said, young man. I always thought he was a bit pompous myself."

"Cousin?" Marian put her questions in the one word.

"I am going to grant pardons to all of the Sherwood outlaws. I dismiss all charges." He smiled at their surprised faces. "It's not based only on your word, Marian. As much as I would consider that enough, few others would. That's politics, not a slight on your good name. No, what you don't realize is that one of the Duke's men was actually on my payroll. I placed a man loyal to me within the ranks of several Lords, Dukes, and Earls whose loyalty to me was, shall we say, questionable."

Marian stared at him for a moment. "You sly old thing!"

King Richard laughed again, and it was a sound that brought smiles to everyone else's faces as well. "Prince John isn't the only one after my throne, and while I was away I thought the temptation would be too great for some. I've had him enter his account into the record back in London."

He looked to Will who still knelt before the King looking as though he felt completely out of place. "He told me some of what the Duke's men put you through. He wasn't there when you were taken from Sherwood, nor when the Duke left you in that horrid cage, but he heard about it from others in the Duke's employ." He held out a hand to Will Scarlett and helped him to rise. "I hope you will not hold it against him that he could not get you out of danger. By the time he had learned the truth and ridden out to find you," he gestured to Robin, "this one must have freed you already. He saw only an empty cage."

Will tentatively took the King's hand. "I…wouldn't hold it against any man." He finally said. "I wouldn't expect that sort of help anyway."

The King looked at Robin. "Your father was a great friend of mine, and he was a man I trusted completely. I will restore his lands to you, Lord Locksley, and I will apportion time, money, and men to help in rebuilding your ancestral home." His arm remained around Will's shoulders, though Will seemed unsure if that were a good thing.

"My Lord, you are too generous." Robin said in surprise.

"I am, but then you've just married my favorite cousin." Richard laughed. "She deserves it as much as you do."

"What of Will?" Robin asked.

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Will Scarlett is granted the pardons, of course, for the thievery and the murders, and if you are so inclined as to recognize him publicly as your father's son, you have the blessings of the Crown." He clapped his hands together. "Now, we have much to celebrate, do we not?"

Robin smiled. "I cannot begin to thank you, Your Majesty."

"Nor can I, Cousin," Marian added.

"Nor me, My Lord," Will added, and Robin could see how uncomfortable he was.

Richard clapped him on the back so hard he almost fell over. Robin caught him and helped him to steady himself. "Now," said the King, glancing at Marian, "I claim a dance with the loveliest bride I have yet to lay eyes upon."

He laughed and took Marian's hand, leading her to the area that had become designated for dancing. Will stood by Robin and the brothers stared at the sight of Robin's bride dancing with the King.

"You're a lucky man, Robin of Locksley," Will whispered.

"That I am, Will Scarlett of Locksley," Robin admitted, happy to try the name on his brother. "I returned home from the crusades and found a wife in the little girl whose hair I'd burned as a child, and a brother in a boy I'd never met. I am the luckiest man in the world."

"I wouldn't say that, brother," Will said glancing at Robin with a twinkle in his eye.

"No?"

Will shook his head. "No, I am the luckiest man in the world."

Robin laughed and embraced his brother as he remembered Azeem's words. The Moor had told him he was taking a long road home. He knew the man was right. He'd taken a roundabout way to find himself here. He had put off proposing to Marian, as he had put off speaking to Will. Why he'd done that he couldn't say, but now that he'd found himself a home, he would do whatever he needed to do to keep it.

End

**Author's Note:** I want to thank everyone who has read this story, especially those of you who reviewed it and encouraged me. It meant a lot to me because I've been away from writing fan fiction for years and coming back to it was a little intimidating. Thank you for making me feel more welcome than I could have imagined!

I love the relationship between Will and Robin, though truthfully, it's always seemed to exist more in my imagination than in the film. I'm sure most of you will agree that the hatred and intolerance and annoyance the two felt towards each other seemed to disappear a bit too quickly and there were nowhere near enough brotherly scenes after the revelation was made. This story was my attempt to fix that oversight, and the idea for the sequel stemmed from the fact that I liked playing in this universe and didn't want to leave. I've got it plotted and will begin writing ASAP.

As the song goes, I ain't too proud to beg. Please review. Thanks again.


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